round springs: encounters in south missouri

Round Springs

encounters in south Missouri

gil marvel p. tabucanon

holding on

The campers have slept

Pitched their tents on the hill

Silence blankets the sky

dotted by snores and shooting stars

Earlier we trekked the riverside

Fishermen readying their gear

We focused our lights on the thickets,

and found peering eyes –

luminous spider eyes

We sat around the fire

Much like cavemen did

Munched cookies and apples,

Talked of dogs and Gilligan Island

(what’s that? a tv show)

Then, everyone rested

Now the fire’s all mine

The cold drove me to it

A spotlight circled the flame and me

Sparks danced on my pants

My tuesdays are like that

An island of flame, amidst the white sea,

dying to pale blue

before my toetips,

as cold wishes to redeem,

while my thoughts

s

t

r u

g

g l

e

to remain.

(14 october 05)

speak river

A swath, a ribbon, a thread,

a flat glass spaghetti –

Servant, temple, tunnel, freeway,

a taciturn friend

to all --

The shirtless, pointless, eager-eyed, bored

We glide, swirl, descend, unpack, go back

There poised turtles, kite vultures,

hornets in hanging homes,

solitary salamander,

eagle presage the moon.

You float your questions to the sun

and hear echoes in a dream, a stone,

a leaf, a bone, a stare, a smirk,

a chiropractic heal.

Nothing’s the same each time.

None’s wasted.

Every bit speak.

(16 october 05)