The Ink of Red Leaves:
for Muzi Mei (Li Li)
Your
hair
red-orange
like
incense coals
but deep
under your skirts
an
inkblack moss
grows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mist comes
from nowhere
turning
trees to lace
streets
to
mint and porcelain
and
you
asleep
beneath
your transparent sheets
a
pool of rainwater
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snails
moss
salamanders
gold pebbles
under water
the light
of
another world
on
your back
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Black pillow
black hair
blurred neon of
10,000 nights
ending
at a dawn
of
white azalea
mist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Narcotic
eyes
pheasant
skirts
thighs
spread
like
a
fan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
crystal spoon
full of sugared rosepetals
and
syrup of violets
your
lips
around everything
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carved
amber and alabaster
an ivory mouth
crimson
moon
the scroll of desire
never
ends
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere
it's midnight
in
a vast city
of silk and fire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
smear of blue
in
the morning
chimes of grass
it's the sky
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Black powder
of
lost nights
gold powder
of
unearthed kisses
under
10,000
skirts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transparent
lilac of eyes
the
song
of
jade
cicadas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You
are liquid
flesh and poppy
resting
on pillows
of snow and cloud
written
on
bamboo
and wind
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~