The Holy Ghost in Polyhymnia’s Closet

View PDF

“What you seek is seeking you.”  
—Rumi 

Dear Holy (one?) I hope you are home for this. 
Tell me the name of your name. For this 

I am on my knees (though I am closed 
still. Bruised.) But I have come for this. 

Awake             the ears            of my ears,      open
the eyes           of my eyes.     Hum. (For this? 

For soldered vowels?) Give me groanings. 
(Shall I bloody my thumbs for this?) 

Empty             your heart        as a bucket. 
Which syllables constitute a quorum for this? 

It’s true: I want pearly feathers. Something seismic. 
But I would be content in your penumbra.                 Or this: 

remember        when you died?                       Went down
in the dark       of Buddha’s                mother’s          womb?            For this: 

not clemency. Not to be heard (I didn’t  
believe). To utter. One wish.                          Limn   for this.

(Limn, delete, limn, delete.)                Where is your 
sacred city? I will skirt it three times for this. 

To refrain        is not               to hold back—but repeat, 
repeat,             repeat.                         Find a hymn                for this. 

Remember      His oath.                      God, you are abundant:
are you satisfied? I’m out of time for this.