misty moonlight—
my love affair with a snake
between dreams

these arms left holding
the skin of passion

now flakes of bone
a portrait in the steel
of a rongeur

a rat gnaws away
at my memories

the wheel grinds on
whether the stars
will it or not

despite all
Polycarp is baked 
to perfection

the play of stained light
in wisps of incense 

the holy glow
of each minim mote
the dust we are

subtle accretions
of harmonies intoned

a medley
of nacreous spheres
in swine swill



Clayton Beach
Hansha Teki