Lilacs and Auld Lang Zein

For my birthday this year I received a Persian Lilac tree from a friend. At first, it was a scruffulous thing, bearing leaves at the ends of two branches that were more like twigs. I found a nice spot for the pot and started watering and talking to the tree. A few days ago it expressed appreciation by bearing a few tiny, persian-pink, aromatic flowers.

This morning I went out to see my little tree, and the flowers, for now, have gone. I wrote this poem a couple of years ago, and thought I'd post it in celebration.


Lilacs and Auld Lang Zein

I am dreaming of the New Year
and a diner full of someones
the radio low
playing that song
that we all recognize
but few know
piano and cello
tenor saxophone
flute and bass
and my
and many voices
around me straining
to touch that tune so old and full
of mystery and memory and longing

I sing and move, breathing the music,
for the sake of years and moments gone and to come
and for losses and gains and the sense
that there is was will be no difference
I feel each note held and offered as a gift
and know that this choir of
thankfulness for everything
that ever was and ever could be
is a blessing from me for me to breathe like the
scent of lilacs that presses into me from everywhere
So I breathe deep and slow and move and sing

Arms about me fall from behind
smooth sure sqeeze and relax
hands fold across my solar plexus
steadying press of breasts
into my back and chin come to
rest light and high
on the ball of my left shoulder
I sing and feel the change
as tenor alto becomes a wide warm wave
through this unison me become harmonic us
I feel music humming from a mouth
not my own but now part of me
washing into the bones of my shoulder
through the muscles of my neck
coming from my own mouth
reflected blended refractions of our voice
passed between us through us
warmer from and for the song,

We move, slowly, forward
toward the end of the counter
singing and listening to us
and to the quality of other future histories held
as wine to only be tasted this once
and never forgotten,
so many voices, rainbows of memories playing across
tone and inflection, fields of sound crossing and creating
patterns of soft nostalgia and warm desire surrounding a glowing peace
that I can almost see
I am soul full and wide open and so much
will not translate
to being there with merely a note between
me and us and all
and as
The chorus lets go it's last
slowing and paling like fading lilacs
and the year is new
I turned my head to the left just enough
to see your chin and nose and breaking smile
and I know who holds me

I place wondering lips
to the border where your cheek
becomes your chin
Just where I have a small mole on mine
Cool textures of messages pass between us
the pores of your skin
draw my left eye into it's own
caress of vision
mottled shades of color, ivory and rose
Touch, time-stop, release fast
so I can smile my knowing
and feel it's meaning change me
I laugh in my surprise
and the sound wakes me

I look thorugh the morning window
And see that my lilac trees
only have green for me now
the flowers have gone
A new year begun
I hum the song…