HOLD

rake

shovel

dig burdock

root

hold willow basket hold kittens

do not withhold cream hold each other gaze hold pages touch lips hold

the sign hold my thigh hold the brush of color the lead the stunned wren

hold warm bread cut the cold with coffee in bed do not hold a gun or a blade

to practice removal do not hold-in sadness or truth do not hold

or swallow hidden swords do not follow too close

do not ignore the soil do not scratch the scab to bleed again bring

pink cosmos to friends hold warnings extinguish taboo do not hold

loneliness or mourn the mirror hold each other hold a spade a place

at the meeting do not hold your breath or anyone else’s do not

withhold imagination do not smoke too much or drink to tremble

hold green bulrushes hold a river stone do not hold back your hip’s

sway do not buy fur hold your unwritten scripture pen to page write as

if holding a feather or gun shake the can rattle paints-blood mix hold

evidence of wide letters sprayed tall do not leave traces on your pants

do not break panes open doors hold yourself straight mountain pose hold the

off button on your screen hold butter to pasta do not hold diamonds

hold snowflakes wander in internal rhyme hold the child’s hand

walk the land hold a place.

to listen to the reading

here is the substack link

https://pintailpoetry.substack.com/p/hold