Wilderness Interface Zone

if a heart broke once forever would it
not be a dead thing?
yea, a heart is a lively creature, filled
with quiet musings,
subtle thrummings,
murmurous hummings.
aye, she is rapturous and verdant,
swindling common sense
with fictive branches
white with blossoms.
yet, she is the taproot of things,
descending through
the earth warm
with worms, and moist.
nay, she does not die.
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Elizabeth Pinborough graduated from Yale Divinity [...]

Cayuga Lake’s asleep again,
ice-locked at her edges.
Dressed once more
in shreds of white,
organza, wispy curls
across her skin-
beauty lying deeper
than her dreams.
Denise and I would skate
when we were girls,
flying toward each other
till we met and locking hands
would spin in dizzy circles,
laughter pealing bright
in frigid air;
innocent of life to come
and choices made,
of sorrow bearing arms
against the days
that rush [...]

(for James)
When the little girls on the playground
threatened the boys with a kissing,
and they, slick with danger, ran
like wry hares, he made short work of it,
got ready his cheeks, mistook a step.
Now such generosity is lost on them,
his awkwardness thought sabotage,
and untimely glances which have
followed him since loving boyhood
turned like Actaeon’s hounds.
It has been harder [...]