River Queens

I wandered as pale as a sheep

Afraid of sleep

Of death

As a nettle amongst sick roses

Falling over myself in unspoken morose(s)

Witching the ‘you’ tree beside the Yang river

Which sang Ying as a shiver on a ghost

It began to believe in the God seed

But Jack high on speed ran it up the post

I wandered, a grief I knew not where from

Betrayed me like a mirror to a shadow

Respected no ill spectre of unforgiven love

Inspected all god pieces as if gold in a glove

She salmon pinked my insides

Yet stones I threw from the bridge

And watched the black water flow through

As if the stars had born you

And I had been waiting

All of my years

To catch a petal and let a stone go

So what ‘s the matter Queen Jane

The look of mercy is plain again

Ann of neck and sleeves is worn,

Her cares have Jasmine vipers bitten

And shy is smitten and sworn