WORK/1 Jerry Younkins

Jerry Younkins

On Dance

the     human     body
is     the     origin.

the     only
dancing     animal
is man                but

I     saw
coyotes     running.
there     were     two     of     them
and     I     almost     thought
they     were     dancing.

Reflections on the Snake-queen.

serpent-
go     away.
your     reflection     covering
one     eye,     two     eyes,
one     eye.
do     not     glare     so.

serpent-
look     elsewhere.
here,     the     only     sight
is     a     mirror.
you     would     not     cast
a     reflection.
I     will     not     give     you     mine.

serpent-
leave     now.
the     tiger-man     comes
to     devour     you.
he
hates     and     fears
you.

River Of No Return

a     tree     trunk     can     become
a     stump
but     no     stump
ever     made     it     back.

Dian,     Dian,     beautiful
Dian.     I wanted     you
each     of
                  a     thousand     times.
once,     you     stopped.
I     don’t     want     you     no     more.

the     flowers     sprung
in     the rye,     were
plucked     as     weeds.

flashflood

the     growth     of     bushes
in     the     dry     river     bottom
torn     from     the     soil
                                              to     be
                                              washed
                                              away.

the     only     return     I     ever     got
on     anything
was     the     ocean.