SHARK REEF

What have we lost
to know
a brother, a husband
a friend
was needed elsewhere,

she cuts her feet on bones of the river
crimson pools on long glacial slide
of moss crusted boulders tipped
on broken pieces of themselves
teal ochre bronze bright bed of jewels

Start with bright colors

bold, black strokes.

Notice the eyes

on the blue side of hazel

Sweet dark graces me with grief

to mark the bits slipping into strange hands –

the champagne shades, the old chipped dresser,

the table with the children’s scars.

Buddha speaks
freedom, he says
as we bear him
from his nest
of spangles, batik, dark
Indonesian wood