Song of the Taste

Eating the living germs of grasses
Eating the ova of large birds

pp the fleshy sweetness packed
pp around the sperm of swaying trees

The muscles of the flanks and thighs of
ppppppp soft-voiced cows
pp the bounce in the lamb’s leap
pp the swish in the ox’s tail

Eating roots grown swoll
ppppppp inside the soil

Drawing on life of living
pp clustered points of light spun
ppppppp out of space
hidden in the grape.

Eating each other’s seed
ppppppp eating
pp ah, each other.

Kissing the lover in the mouth of bread:
ppppppp lip to lip.


From REGARDING WAVE (New Directions, 1970)