the resurrection of desire     shellsm picture

by

kateri akiwenzie-damm


the resurrection of desire
the craft of devotion
is the passion of saints idiots lovers
and abusers of every kind
those whose heads of filled reflections and suffering
float slowly downstream
while their lips move as if in prayer
counting branches waving from the shore

homeless
forgotten sailors
swept in a tidal wave of their own creation
destroyers of flesh
worshippers of forever
mapping the way to heaven
across feet and hands and heads and torsos
rejecting the beautiful mortifications that haunt the minds of perverts
the guilt of sinners three scalps hanging from their belts
starkly insanely lovely

delicate in flight these wingless birds
transform into sweet bloody joyous messiahs
noiselessly stripping themselves of flesh
to the envy of those who sing of pain and make love in the dark

manitouwan oh manitouwan
earthy earthly exalted exiles
where is the raven
or those strange ancient monsters of the waterways
who would drag an innocent to that other world
where death sleeps

tell us
what ceremony or madness will safeguard their return?


From My Heart is a Stray Bullet, Kegedonce Press.

© 1997 kateri akiwenzie-damm

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