Night Barge

The moon is bright as a silver coin
covering the eternal eye
but god is only sleeping -
perhaps dreaming
wings folded, plume upon plume
beaked head drooping onto downy breast
perched imperious
drifting on his glided barge

Sleepwalker
in the azure dark you loved me more
cooled by the breeze that billows the sails
and ruffles the head of a dozing god
hidden from the blind eye
shadows wrapped around us like a pall
hearts feather-light
like stars we burned together
all the doors of the Underworld opened

Lord of Silence
sarcophagus bound
will you take with you
your ornaments and instruments
two knives crossed
blade of copper, hilt of gold
sharp as a star point
tracing scarlet constellations
into the spangled flesh of Nuit -
may she bend to kiss you
gold flecks raining from lapis sky
as the night barge sails on

Dandy Darling

You and I should have been
Laudanum drinkers
Dragon chasers
Opium den lazing on tea stained brocade
Nodding in an aura of antique intoxication
Hazy veil descending like a caul
Reborn into an artificial paradise

You and I should have been
Kept poets
Court laureates
Bound by quills and parchment
Inking pretty words
Love letter confections for powdered ladies
To devour ravenously
Like creme pastilles from satin boxes

You and I should have been
Preening peacocks
Dandy dilettantes
Attending cultured salons
Cavorting with whores and courtesans
Dragging lace cuffs through fine feasts
Red wine spilling from your knife wound mouth

But, bound in blood, a decadent cliche
The suicide pact
Just staving off your final inevitable histrionic
Would you have held me to my word?
Mostly I just wanted to watch you dance and swoon
Conspire and gossip
Leave off your death mania for a while
I held your attention for moment, didn't I?
More than the cold grey world could

Better suited for greater times, you and I
If we wished to court Le Morte
We should have been
Buried alive in silks and excess
Choked by the cloying perfumes of moral decay
Raucous and drunken
Dis-eased by our own wantonness
Spinning, staggering
Giddy to the last into a pauper's grave