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
