Beach Drumming
Winter solstice ritual honors change entry to the Underground encountering demons of the night of the year Night has arrived Wrestle demons of lies half-truths Face Truth full on so you know what she looks like how she feels when she touches you Get familiar False hood wears many disguises fancy glasses of Distraction even the cloak of Kindness Envy and Anger have their masks appear to be Truth use her to create lies Beach drumming mesmerizes entrances honors winter entry to the Underground encountering demons
Poetry by Ruth Boerger
How to Conjugate
I thought I'd learned it all in English class then in German, Latin Italian and Spanish
I love
you love
he, she, it loves
we love
you love
they love
Conjugation cannot happen easily
in separate bedrooms
or behind walls of silence
ich liebe
du liebst
er, sie, es liebt
wir lieben
ihr liebt
Sie und sie lieben
amo
amas
amat
amamus
amatis
amant
I Cry
Today I cry And cry My sorrow is deep I swim and cry Salt tears Flow into salt water Salt tears For innocent victims of oppression For lungfish caught and destroyed for their roe For dry soil wanting rain For my brother's early death For my parents' pain For my children's pain
hunger
humiliation
torment
fear
who inflict pain
whose souls are tormented
who is mocked
the rapist
the tears
I am the raped
Today I cry for all
My sorrow is deep
I cannot stop
My heart cries for all
I cry
I am the fool
I am the power monger
I am the murderer