I. AS IT IS

his hooves
have ground the sand before
to steed the vestal beach
as always it seems, Evangeline
& now once more—because
Usiku rained hunger in bowls
too full for her Afrikan waves.

II. AS IT WERE

how similar now is today,
how similar then are the winds.
always that damnable
damnable
—wind
from the mouth
of the mighty St.Lawrence
to the shores of the great Pontchartrain
it seems your steps—to a current;
unclaimed by attrition, purl
knit to the primeval hemlocks
Na-Gah rests with grazing eyes
& ions flash as spirit dance.

O! how awash
you would break now
to see how some desire—despise
how easy they’ll caste you
—to storms!

III. AS IS WILLED

still that Atchafalaya waits,
as it does
as it did, as you know
because grace charms; Evangeline,
because—that grace—disarms
(even in buggered salvation)

when classes refuse degradation
bayous wear new—el collar de estrellas
unable to witness discord

beneath the sweet sassafras. leaves,
another roux seasoned; stirred,
sweated thick gumbo—
by blood chains & slaves
for these: shadows
will pass (as we do)
jazz into blues; the remains,
a cycle then,
in cycle now
from water—to heaven—to dust.

IV. AS IT MAY

where does God go
when the softest skirts rise
(there, South in Eden)
when virgin Live Oaks throw down arms
deflowered; demossed,
yes—defiled
& bold waves tongue the cypress wet
too high above such knees.

how fertile with cost
is confession
how serpentine the thrust of greed
(but this we know too well!)
& still they scrub filthy
conscience clean: de armiño
still!
they would wash
—you away
in accordance of course,
with their hell.