The Vessel Song

The Vessel Song
Chant “Old beyond old time”
Slow even breaths now
Don’t fight it: sleep.

The recurring dream returns,
Again the Augean dreamdig

Inside
Layers of turf, soil and stone,
Paper, plastic, and rustnails lie
where all things tremble and hide.

Fight in the dank dark deep
Pull it scratch it yank it
Soilstonetrash, deeproots and moist moss
centipedes white flies worms spiders
Wrestle with you but you

Morewrestle

From its refuge the amphora older than old.

Burnish your bright night vessel with moist moss
as centipedes white flies worms and spiders
inscribe your vessel with swirling figures.

Thus your prized vase, so perfect;
Sob and fill it with salty tears

As it chants back to you “old beyond” every night,
Your tears and vessel crumble into pigment and you begin to
Paint.