“TRADE”

well I wonder

if I had fallen that

Wednesday,

would the dove have flown?

would it have savored

the sacred fruit?

would the tables have turned

and, on them, would you have danced,

aware of your own divinity?

if I had drank from that

evil cup, 

would the doe have cried “I am!” ?

would it have swallowed the earth

like a ripe plum?

would the violins have played

and, to their melody, would your heart

have kept on beating?

I do wonder, 

if you, not I, 

had only seen another spring, 

would the flowers have spurred?

would the robins have sung?

could the wind have blown away 

your sorrow?

M.L. February ‘25