From Longfellow’s Life Chronology

Joe Manley (1983 – )

Renaissance Man

JQM:MSSam (1983 – )

[Renaissance Man]

The End of January

Joe Manley (1983 – )

Outside the air is chilly
Though the distant, white fireball
Zings my eye when I find it;
The driveway is as dry as the
White clear air out the window.

And nothing is frozen
Just chilly and still;
Waiting, really,
A little perturbed but nonetheless
Patient,
Waiting for some days that
either snow
And bring out tobogganing or snowblowing
(ho ho ho what male fun)
Or for days that warm up
The back and bring out flowers and
Earth smells, locked for
Now in the intermediate air.
—Real sun
that warms
blankets in the grass

Let’s pack away the impotent
Viagra-sun
(Having nothing to inspire
the removal
of a
single layer of flannel)
And be done with this
January, this
. End, Of an uary.

Your love is a sweet, sweet assumption

Your love is a sweet, sweet assumption
A tender grass, craning wind-jostled up up to the sun
With all green and scent of Salzburg in your single blade contained
Fluttering like a kite before the sky.

Your love is sweet, sweet assumption
As the turning Earth covering miles in a
moment imperceptable rushing
Spring and Summer,
Morning and Evening
Never waking babes who lie upon you deep in slumber

Your love is sweet, sweet assumption
No more! We, eaters, walkers, businessmen fast distracted
Wake to the beauty of stationary, firm, love
the tender blade with scent of hills,
The steady, the turning, you, wife like the Earth.