Poems by Michelle Miller
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Palindrome Beginning and Ending with Lines from Jane Hirshfield
by Michelle Miller
Most weekends in summer, Michelle can be found with friends, kayaking the Duck River, one of the most biodiverse rivers in North America. This waterway contains several species of freshwater life, like the pearly birdwing mussel, found nowhere else on Earth.
The way the highwire walker must carry a pole to make her arms longer,
you carried me. I’ll carry you past the frozen pink hyacinth blooms,
weighted down and melting. Like soap made of glass,
from this distance, capitalism is
just killing insects. Here in paradise,
where the bee’s buzz lowers,
where the carcasses of birds
remain hidden,
soon we’ll be told
the blood of our daughters has begun to stain the snow.
The blood of our daughters has begun to stain the snow.
Soon we’ll be told
remain hidden,
where the carcasses of birds,
where the bee’s buzz lowers.
Just killing insects here in paradise.
From this distance, capitalism is
weighted down and melting. Like soap made of glass,
you carried me. I’ll carry you, past the frozen pink hyacinth blooms,
the way the high-wire walker must carry a pole to make her arms longer.
© Michelle Miller