The Wind Cried Mary
When Hendrix coaxed, Are you experienced?
we answered oh, quite contrary.
Only wild meadow grass jazzed in evening light
and the wind cried Mary.
Fringed backpacks, hair free flying, little lambs sure to go,
we left the Midwest,
rake-thin, obsessed, to follow the lovesick wind
crying Mary.
Who waters your green? A woman’s nothing
without a man!
The ocean heaved—go!
but the wind cried Marry.
We picked up brooms drearily sweeping, Jacks-in-boxes
we thought worth keeping.
How do we seem? we asked weeping;
the wind waxed… Merry.
Our bodies gave them their heft, the shape of their songs,
—sweet Jesus, Joseph, and Mary—
why didn’t we leave?
By the same author
Given Plums
Early July my sister and I filled two sacks of plums from our orchard. We shook each tree until the ripest orbs fell