African Meditation (1985)

African Meditation
Maracha Hospital
Uganda, 1985

A calm sea,mist in the valley
and no wind at all.
This veil,does it ever tear
and what do you want
in or out
or is it much the same?

Cut.
Flesh leaps to the side.
This now the cavity, open
and somehow too bright.

Then, the fingers gently probing,
does this tear?
Or cut again
expose the whole in parts,
connected contents of a hole

What will you find,
more perforations
and then?
In or out
or is it much the same?

Stitch.
Close up.
And cover the naked heart.

Why not.
A ray of light put on its proper course,
but will you bend the stars?

A sudden wind
shaking the fog
A light much too bright.
And then again
a day as calm as a calm sea.
Was a calm sea ever safe?

There
a spider lurking in the dark,
a patient pendulum,
and the moon settles to look at
you

And still this veil, these perforations,
clear enough.
Sleep now.
Wake tomorrow.

A rhythm of heart and breath.
Waves of a calm sea.
Good night.