KATE FOLEY

Throwing up the Baby
 

Hidden in the font’s deep fluted skirt,
leaning back in the shadow of two amiable lions,
is Green Man, stone-bee burrowed, pitted.

His leafy drawers burst with eye-bright birds,
their liquid shadow voices hold more silence
than singing boys,

it lays mosaics of tiny sounds - trapped sparrow feet,
mouse claws, slow waning drip of candle fat,
moon sifting her cheek against church window panes,

metallic chink of Peter’s pence shifting
in their iron-bound box
and dust.

Hands strong as lye biting, grip his deep veined cudgel.
Faint as the smell of feet in pews,
is a rank garlic memory of vegetable sweat.

He is a signal to all un-churched mothers:
this pale water like vitamins has to be taken
but cross your fingers out of sight.

A rough, alternative angel, he can be trusted
to throw up the baby behind the priest’s back
and catch it before his fingers grow leaves.

Anamaria Comes

Kate Foley

Aruncand Copilul in Sus

Ascuns in faldurile draperiei ce-mpodobea cristelnita,
Rezemandu-se cu spatele de umbra celor doi lei prietenosi,
Acoperit cu stupi de-albine, ciuruit,
sta Omul Verde.

Din sertarele-i frunzoase tasnesc pasari ce ochii-i lumineaza,
Armonioase voci fantoma ce-s sunt mai tacute
Decat corul de baieti

Tacerea asterne mozaicuri de sunete marunte – picioare de vrabie prinse in cursa,
Gheare de soarece, seu de lumanare ce-ncet se stinge,
Luna lipindu-si obrazul de geamul bisericii,

Clinchet metalic al obolului Sfantului Petru rostogolindu-se
Zavorata si plina de praf

Maini puternice ca piscatura de lesie, apuca bata cu vene profunde.
Slab ca mirosul de picioare din strane,
E usturoiul urat mirositor amintind de transpiratia vegetala.

El e avertisment pentru toate mamele care n-au fost purificate:
Aceasta apa ingalbenita trebuie luata precum vitaminele
Insa incruciseaza-ti degetele cand nu te vede nimeni.

Substitut necizelat de inger, lui i se poate incredinta raspunderea
De a arunca in sus copilul la spatele preotului
Si de a-l prinde inainte ca degetele sa-i infrunzeasca.