Tide Pool

                                                I kneel to floors and walls pink with coralline algae

                                                red and purple flowers of anemone fingers,  

                                                iridescent blue, of Irish moss

                                                periwinkles: golden yellow, orange, brown

                                                 Draperies of rockweed

                                                 over egg vessels of dog whelks

                                                 The Ritual:

                                                 dog whelks moving over barnacles

                                                 boring through shells with rasps of radulae

                                                 blood star exuding stomach over green sponge

                                                                  The Living Church

                                                                  September 15, 1985