smack the velvet
shiny horse's flank
and flee,
for once the rider,
clinging, gripping dear life
clinging on,
throws the reins aside, discards
the leather mantle, hugs
the huge hot silent tree-trunk neck
and flies the horse and strides
a centaur on the sky
and falls up into sky, dear life,
and flies and dies as one.

the backwards road
from me
my ma mama mere mare mer
to I
unworlded, hurled in wind and rain
and battered, tattered
crucified
upon my spine
three person'd god
in one.

let me drink the cup of blood
let me disappear and tumble
the temple, break the stones,
be thrown against the wheel
and feel the dust of earth
dear life
and blood and light and air
in my mouth.