What god spelled me with sadness?
Mother
Crow blames Alligator
Chase
him into the waters
And
command him to un-spell you
She
caws in the night
At
her command
I
swim into the river
But
its current is strong
And I
cannot resist it
In
my weaken state
So
I float south
At
times I cry
For
my impotence
And
my shame
Looking
for Alligator
Who
has fled my will
I
reach salt marshes
Before
the middle sea
And
find him waiting
His
beady black eyes
Just
above the gray water
Where
mosquitoes buzz
In
unison above green sludge
This
reptilian god
Older
than my young god
Is
one of many
Crocodile
is his brother
Their
kingdom sadness
And
melancholy
And
their knowledge
Dark and dank
Like
the alluvial mud
In
which they reside
Crow
mother says
From
a low hanging limb
Of
a cottonwood tree
Feed
them your sadness
Ride
them to the darkest depths
Reside
in their mud
Sing
the crocodile song
Sleep
the sleep of alligator
Dream
the dreams of crocodile.
Bear
witness to their wetness
Testify
to their darkness
Marvel at their fecundity
Inhabit their imaginal world
