The river whose name
 
will not flow forth from my tongue
 
still flows to the sea.

 
 
 

Raven on the fence,
 
how much more must I endure
 
of your cheeky tongue?

Vines

 
 
 

Morning glory vines—
 
whose tongue can relate the tale
 
of such twisted lives?

Space

 
 
 

the space between things
 
concealing a meteor
 
and a lizard’s tongue

Stone

 
 
 

Even though I know
 
every note of the old songs,
 
my tongue turns to stone.

Geraniums

 
 
 

April afternoon—
 
blessing the geraniums
 
with her untamed tongue

Names

 
 
 

patching their torn nets—
 
the names of three fishermen
 
on the seagull’s tongue