1 poem: "the cool water poem"

the cool water poem

(for all the brothas who have never seen the sea)

 

 

then start another search

somewhere out there rocking in the slow current

a crescent of shadow and crystal

deeper into blue towards night

something free and almost asleep

dipping an errant hand into the cool water

soundless miles in blue echoing indigo

and the accumulative panes of evening

spectrum the bay up to dusk darkness

what remains of sun is small white

almost moonsheer on the bay side

of the roofs and houses

weeds at the roadside open their hands

cats holding still on pier posts

you have found everything here in the throesof prayer

 

somewhere your people are searching

those responsible for you

in the reasoning before panic

still calm but quickening

sent by the clocks

they despair

but

take this hour breath by breath

forming stars

let each cell chant in the shrill black of your skin

the world bounding into a candlelit cathedral

hidden in the pews a few disparate pious women pray

the floor a luminous sea marbled silver

subtle exchange of blues and silence

a single plane with a slow flashing light

glints across the cathedral ceiling

 

far out beyond compasses

night comes across the radio sea

stars  arrive

moonlit fishing boats in ghana

come with the day’s catch

the last rituals slow the people to laughter

shirtless among men you

moving nets up the beach

a village singing and waiting

your journey into light at the edge of the world

you cannot understand what they are saying

their laughter more in the heart than in the ear

but you are here

and have been here all day extending

your body into the clear current

and maybe all your life asleep in their company

no translation for the half moon and bright rust of sun

or of the sea blackening and exhaling stars

or the faceless villagers who invite you to rest….

turning inland

how will you tell your baptist people

of the new face of god?