Helen Forman
POSTURES, GESTURES
Postures and gestures determine the whole world:
Right as a hero, love, you must stand fair.
Quick fingers crook in hooks, in leaves half-furled,
The fretted feathers put their tongues uncurled,
A radiator stacks its knees in prayer.
I tell you softly the unbuttoned rose
Reflexes pinkly petals sure as toes.
See that bawd bumbler pedaling on its nose.
Steam slobbers agony in wistful throes
And dapper soldiers rocket from a hose.
Those thorns fixing a sanctity to Christ
Were fingers honed and thrilled. They realized
Caricature for His blood poured like rain
Muddling their pose, gutting their shame.
Perk tender towards an egg cooked to your fashion:
Tumble your wanton on its china bed
With fork contrite but tuned to ring some passion,
So teeth mash gallantly, squared stallions crashing.
Eyes starch to fried eggs on a head gone dead.
I tell you stoutly piggy in the pen
Huffs grumpy as a dragon in his den.
Take care, love,
if
in love you rove the glen:
Have deference for serious small men,
Brood with the rustic bench, a sitting hen.
Love, spend the silk purse crisped between your thighs
With real commitment, wholly as Christ
Emptied His body on His cross of thorns.
Love, let the sow's ear hang forlorn.
