The Canary
They stood him where the harshest
wind blows
they promised him to the frosts
they gave him a black dress
and a red tie
a nail-punctured sun that dripped
black glasses
blood on the poison
a staff
and a canary
they stood him where pain leaps up
they gave him to death
to shine silver
The Gifts
Today I put on
a hot red blood
today people love me
a woman smiled at me
a girl gave me a shell
a child gave me a hammer
Today I kneel on the pavement
and nail to the sidewalk
the bare white feet of passersby
they are all crying
but no one is afraid
they all stay where I put them
they are all crying
but gaze up at the heavenly ads
and a beggar woman selling sweetbreads
in the sky
Two of them whisper
what’s he doing is he nailing our hearts?
yes he’s nailing our hearts
well then he must be a poet
The Soldier Poet
I have written no poems
in thuds
in thuds
my life rolled
One day I trembled
the next day I shuddered
in fear
in fear
my life passed
I have written no poems
I have written no poems
I just nail
crosses
on graves