Photography © Glenn Bowie

 

3 Penny

She’s trying to hoist the moon with ancient pulleys and cables
she’s collected a thousand carved jade teardrops
from her mothers , brothers table
she sings in the silent remedies of night
without a wing , or a prayer
sometimes you don’t need anyone
to know that someone’s there

Bring me a cauliflower , from my garden she cries
they’re not as beautiful as the white moon
but in their hearts they try
she’s trying to bridge the stars with a spiders web
and some golden straw
the one that broke the camels back
isn’t worth a damn anymore

There’s a picture of a pheasant upon her wall
she’s merely a peasant but shadows from the moon
makes her feel , a thousand feet tall

She’s trying to hoist the moon
with ancient pulleys and cables
she’s writing the sequel , in her own blood
to Aesop’s fables
she’s building a four post bed , with three penny nails
carving a cross of ivory
from the tusk of a snail

There are things I said to her
that she will never understand
so I placed the words I love you
one in her ear , one in her heart , one in her hand
she’s lost in the flood
asking Cain if he’s able
to build a house
with only six gables

 

Glenn Bowie is a published poet, lyricist and photographer from the Boston area. He also owns and operates an elevator company that supplies custom-built elevators for clients from New England to Hollywood. Author of two poetry and photograph collections (Under the Weight of Whispers and Into the Thorns and Honey) on Big Table Publishing, he donates all profits from his books to various charities for the homeless and local animal shelters.