USA

jessprez@concentric.net

We'll Touch all the Stars in the Universe

I wouldn't kill ants
That darkened
the white lace cloth
I caught the edges
folding ants within,
carried ants and all, to the porch
"Go home!" I said
In the morning the cloth
was empty
someone said,
it was genius.
it's touching, you saving the ants.
I said, don't you believe
the ant is me and
I the ant
and each of us one piece of intergalactical
string?
threading
luminous
pearls,
stars
dandelions
elephants
pygmies
oak trees,
keyboard with fingers
a trumpet
with lips
a penguin tied
to a full moon,
crookedly pinned
to the penguin's lapel
I am the ant
I do my job
an ant
content
to know
the intergalactical
string
that I am
threading luminous
pearls,threading stars, necklacing with
drawstring gathering
like pebbles
1000 B.C. to A.D.2000
And more!
Pulling gently the drawstring
bringing
galaxies
into a womb
to a fetus shaped room
threading moons and suns,
circular narrowing,
spiraling downward, to
a trickle of water
threading mountains
rivers
pulling the drawstring
curled to a womb shape
that's all! Very small.
And they thought the Universe
was large!
One night, one world, one universe
one child
falling asleep in the backseat, dreaming,
traveling,
crunching of tires on gravel,
lapping of water
lingering mem'ry before birth
a time when the child lay playing
in his/her private ocean.
the womb,
like the rock of a cradle, then
and now!
sound of the wheels
someone in front
singing old familiar songs
Wake up and dream with your eyes open now
you can hear if you try,
whooshing! Percussion!
Centuries, music vibrating
Harp strings and trumpets
bass viol, lullabying
Child
forever!
Childforever!
Remember the song?"
we sung, boy and girl
in Oregon:
"We vow to stay
on this side of grown up
We vow to never
cross over the barrier
we know somehow, we would never get back
once crossed over
we'd forget
"What was it like really?"
Childhood, a separate domain,
connected to the Universe more than this earth
if we crossed over
we would lose our true selves, connected
then
to all things,
from time's beginning
if we EVER crossed over, we would forget
if we EVER crossed over, we would forget
we made a solemn vow
and kept it!
Childhood playmate
Lie by me, loving me
lie by me, loving me,
feel
my skin in your skin
touch me, I'll touch you
we'll touch all the stars in the universe
Lie by me, loving me,
feel
my skin in your skin
touch me, I'll touch you
we'll touch all the stars in the universe
And remember to give me,
as we vowed then,
give me one cell from your body
(don't laugh!)
And remember
to give me one of your cells, please!
That was the plan, back then,
wish it, and want it,
you CAN direct it
It's easy! The brain is so capable
Direct one cell
to my heart beat, Now!
give me one cell
and I'll give you mine.
Let's be
children at play,
we promised we'd never
cross over the barrier
to grown up
solemn vow! on 10th Street Hill in pouring rain,
drawing blood from a pin prick to swear our devotion
then and now
Send me your cell
and I'll send you mine!
Remember this letter, from your child/grown-up self?
You studying physics at UC Berkeley?
"Dear Dorothy, a poem: World within world within world within world
centuries are mere one day explosions of fireworks
evolving, evolving, evolving, cellular, circular
constantly moving, the chair is in motion
the molecules rule, push your hand gently straight through the wall
feel it vibrating too (the most famous physics professor at Berkeley
taught us his theories; we were few, selected students who wouldn't say
that he was crazy or divulge these secret meetings!
One thing he told us:
"You could walk through the wall if you wanted to."

What shocked me most, when still children at play
your comment on Tenth Street Hill,
a butterfly
landed on a pink rhododendron
they grew wild in clusters in the pine woods.
A butterfly, you said
has a life span of two days
it didn't bother me then,
But later I said, why?
Of all people!
The butterfly,
Punishment for beauty?But perhaps it is only
elusive infinity
disguised as two days
and perhaps 80 years
is the time it takes
for one breath sucked in,
the same to exhale.....
topsy turvey time!
Let's call on infinity, now,
you and I
as we said we would, as we promised
Lie by me, loving me,
feel
my skin in your skin
touch me, I'll touch you
we'll touch all the stars in the universe
Let's be children at play,
drawing blood from a pin prick
to swear love's devotion
I'll send you one cell
in exchange
for one cell!
lie by me, loving me,
feel
my skin in your skin
touch me, I'll touch you
we'll touch all the stars of the universe

May 29, Berkeley

© All Copyright, May 29, 2001,Dorothy Jesse Beagle.
All Rights Reserved. Printed By Permission.