Quilting

a dozen books of fiction and poetry for children.

Howard University and the State University of New York at Fredonia.

The italicized lines in the poem “eyes” are from The Gospel at Colonnus, adaptation by Lee Breuer. Copyright© 1989. Published by and reprinted with the permission of Theatre Communications Group, New York.

American Poetry Review: “oh where have you fallen to….,” “remembering the birth of lucifer,” “whispered to lucifer,” “eve’s version,” “lucifer understanding at last,” “the garden of delight,” “adam thinking,” “eve thinking,” “the story thus far” and “lucifer speaks in his own voice”;

chaos fell away
before her like a cloud
and everywhere seemed light
seemed glorious
seemed very eden

water mouths wide
washing together
forever for some

and the sinister hall
is dark with the one word
Choose

thirty-eight years and you
never arrived

feel your tongue thickening,
everything thickening.

but listen,
the girl is rising in me,
not willing to be left to
the silent fingers in the dark,
and you are right,
she is asking for more than
most men are able to give,
but she means to have what she
has earned,
sweet sighs, safe houses,
hands she can trust.