Rumors of Rage by Mara Lemanis

 

Rumors of Rage by Mara Lemanis  

 

Rumors of Rage

 

There was rage

and rumors 

of rage

punching

through the

ozone through

The Tree

of Life

bristling

branches bursting

like wires

raking the air

devouring

the sky as

neurons fired

ungrounded

 

Beneath the fury

 honeycomb cells

droned cozy litanies

still small voices

chanting

mediate

conciliate

accommodate

like nursery rhymes

conducting a mass

but we were

full-bore enraged

our bile dove deep

inside the chamber

 crushing the pollen

smothering the

grains of grace

 

We spun like
 tarantulas

binding

tearing apart

their prey

our heads

 arms legs

turned hard

as cliffs

muscles ripped dense

as diamonds

sharp crystals

cut the chords

that tuned the

antique harmonies

the still

small voices

 keeping 

the covenant 

 guarding

the ancient hymn

blessing

the lion 

to lie

with the lamb

 

Rage and

rumors of rage

broke the

honeyed chant

mediate

conciliate

accommodate

broke the call

to pity

the human fray

rage pierced the

hallowed bond

that nursed life's tree

stabbed through

the mantle of the soil

and sowed full-bore

the bedrock

   of the world.

 

--Mara Lemanis