digital artwork: ralph murre
THE
MYSTERY OF WATERS
by Charles P. Ries
The Black River moved east to the Red Sea
as August crept in on soft hands,
all before a lost tribe of clowns
carrying cartoons and sacred images
high above their heads
close to the blue sky
close
to their desire.
Calliope music beckoned them enter the
cathedral that nestled under a grand mustard
tree,
as M ary
M agdalene flew high above the center
ring
Saint Agnes recited
the seven truths
Lucifer
blew fire and ice
ending the world as predicted by Frost.
Alice, their queen, kept watch -
Alice who knew the secret of grinning cats and
wise caterpillars
smoking dope high above the cathedral on tree
limbs,
purring to perfection in sitting meditation
dreaming of dancing mice
one
minded mischief makers.
I remained silent and floated on to the Dead Sea ,
where blood drops become rose buds in bleeding
hearts.
Watching ash fall from the hand of an avatar
snow
flakes in August
dusting me
white as talcum after baptism.
These wandering mysteries.
These
puzzlements of mind.
breezes that dapple my mind in sunlight at
midnight.
Will you float with me
On this river of grace?
Belly button pointing toward heaven,
umbilical eye staring into the mystery of
love.
~ first published in Anthology
