Skull of a Curlew

Skull of a Curlew

Skull of a Curlew

Skull of a curlew full of stars,
my mouth on fire with black, unspeakable bees.
Light on the lime boles, bleached and bare,
my gorge rising, crammed with blackfurred bees.

Clay of the orchard on my cheek,
cheeks puffed like wind on a map’s margin.
Dust in each lungful of cold air,
lips burned on the inside by black bees.

                 I wait for the moon to rise me
                 I pray to the midnight ant
                 I clutch at fistfuls of wet grass
                 I hammer the earth with bare heels.

Skull of a curlew full of stars,
night sky dredged with the eyes of bees.
Black fire around each star,
I swallow fear in mouthfuls of fur and wing.

Skull of a curlew full of stars,
the great hive of heaven heavy around me.
I spit out bees and black anger,
mouth of a curlew, fountain of quiet stars.