MOON GLOW MCMLXXI

A YOUNG MAN IN AN ABBEY IN 1971

The old monk was dying
one of the original ones
from France
back in 1907
and I washed
and made him comfortable,

sunlight through high windows
warmth on flagstones
in the church
monks walking in slow
heads down
mindful of God,

memores Dei
I sat in the silent church
at midday
before the office of Sext
stomach rumbling
musing on Iesus Christus
in the desert hungering,

nel famelica del deserto
that time in Tangiers
avoiding Western food
ate their stuff
wholesome while others
who ate Western crap
puked,

Hugh stern faced
walked the cloisters
taking in the way
the sole tree in the garth
swayed in the wind,

déplacé dans le vent
I mused on that time
walking through
a snow storm
my body swayed by the wind
back in 1965,

she opened her legs to me
and said
make me whole
my husband
can't or won't
so I did,

così ho fatto
or so thought
seeking truth
and Gareth said
Σωκράτης είναι φίλος
μου αλλά ο καλύτερος
φίλος μου είναι η αλήθεια
quoting Plato
truth is my best friend
even if Socrates is a friend
Plato said
Gareth explained,

George felt the chill
of the cloisters especiality
in the evenings
waiting for Vespers
his hands blue
he moving them
into fists
and undoing so,

I watched the moon
move across
the dark sky
and its glow.