redwood sculpture

the painter draws minutely

the windowpane in the cardinal’s eyes

sitting upright in an armchair. that spark of light

near his eyeball is everything. a ray of sunlight falls

on a closed door’s keyhole. a white butterfly trembles

on the veiled hat of a widow. downtown the puppets

turn slowly in a medieval tower clock. the death

between them. a child laughs biting from his cotton candy

Where can I find those things before the hour sinners shared the apple?

At the kiosk they sell warm doughnuts rolled

in vanilla sugar. on a frosty Christmas day

even in the beggars’ pockets some chocolate

coins melt. happiness waves high like a kite

getting loose from its string. over the children’s heads

over their songs with small flowers on the meadows

and elephants in the spider web. there is always a red

tomorrow in the calendar. like the clown’s nose

There comes a time when the sun turns around the earth, then a time when everything is upside down.