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Poem: Ode to Erlene Bean | Poem

 
ODE TO EARLENE BEAN
Painting by Cindy Duhe
 
I am Portuguese salmon my name is Earlene
swimming upstream one learns  a mouth closed
gathers no lashing pebbles heading downstream
some bliss out, being eaten, by Brown Bear
but I am Portuguese
flesh rotting in a placid shallow pool
enjoying experiencing children lust for life
blissing out, even as flesh feeds hunger
thru the sands of temporal time
a fine honed dream fulfilled
music fills my salmon ears
Portuguese or Spanish they are the same
it was only some lisping King insisted
"b’s" be pronounced as "v’s"
I did not catch the ring it was the mask
that tricked myself from recognition
but now I am a salmon
all faces look the same
one thousand or more temporal lifetimes
one does not count the cost
re-finding a special love

finding
all love is special in the green sap flowing
each flower, each dog, each walking wounded heart
in this all are we together
singing songs to celebrate life

amen, abuela says, amen
 

- Sam Hill

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