Michelle Villanueva
at the dinner party I
was the sparrow who called
outside the window come forth
beloved of sky and dirt briefly
while the line blurred
breathing blurs the line
all along the tree
reaching forth with tree
hands held element of sky
as though the dancer
were the same
and promising
through its primeval glow
star and horseshoe
temple and temple spawn
wonder and inevitable gaze
while the squirrel
acorn love pats the earth
redeem with your palmprints
redeem from all the fibers
we are sentient tendril stretched
breathing
slow hope grows garden gently the night
along this pristine snow she dances
stretch bossa nova evanescent
the trees reach forth leaves strings to touch her
night expands hands grasp the dance still dance
remains abundant flows these sparrows
flight through night soaked skies bright the rhythm
she gave them salvation the roses
float soaring girl through star starved meadows
lonely earth my arms alone know you
shine warmly this winter indifferent
shuttered hands cast through the paths we are
dreams stretching mists lilac sky serene
children sing glistening starlight streams
while whippoorwills call these woods beloved
unclasp your petals wisps breeze release
bellflower song
Michelle Villanueva is a student pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing - Poetry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her poetry has been previously published or is forthcoming in Foothill Poetry Journal, Haggard & Halloo, and other print and online publications. She can be reached at mrenn@justice.com
