IMAGE OF EARTH AND QUILL

Guest Poet Paula Grenside



In the Name of Love

I'll try to explain to you, Judge of my soul,
all the crimes I committed, bowing my head,
			in the name of love.
He came to me, hooked my heart up
to his frenzy, hunger, butterfly touch
			in the name of love.
I stole all stars to light our nights,
was the flower he sucked like a bee
			in the name of love.
We made dinner with flesh, washed dirt
off backbiters and walked in clean hearts
			in the name of love.
All windows kept open to air souls and hear
waves of living oceans against the riffs
			in the name of love.
Bare skin to skin for petal fingers and liquid lips
to wet fertile garden and sow flower-babe to be
			in the name of love.
I'm spinning the truth yet it seems there's no room.
His children and Lady forged poison tongues,
put millions banknotes on the hands of our clock
			in the name of love.
That's me here with seeded belly and dumb ghosts.
I pick up objects to rebuild the world, utter words
that fly out of place, so I'm getting divorced
from my soul, Judge. I plead guilty of all crimes
			in the name of love.


April, 1998


Paula Grenside's Questions:

Does the repetition of "in the name of love" result "heavy"?

Is the imagery vivid enough to convey the contrasting emotions?


Correspond with Paula Grenside at
l.marchesin@oderzo.nettuno.it
with your ideas about this poem.



The Albany Poetry Workshop