 Never in this Clean Terracotta© 1995 Ginger Henry Geyer glazed porcelain Pot and saucer, 7" x 7 ¼" diameter This porcelain (not terracotta) pot contains porcelain Playmobile children, arising from the soil. On the saucer appears a poem which is derived from personal conflicts between peace and truth, that classical temptation we all have to force harmony to sugarcoat injustice. (See Ezekiel 13:10 and Jeremiah 6:14-15) Words heavy as flower heads Peace buries Truth damp potting shed Throaty compost fisted deep Dirty story refuses sleep encrusted in stony castle keep. Offspring hothoused in their clutter Feather showers between twin brothers Muddy peace in Mother's eyes Gripped by gravel, humus hides humor beneath rotting asparagus peels harbored love afraid to kneel over rooted altar and clogged clay hole where Truth drains steadily here below, whispers wetly "Let my children go. Never in this clean terracotta will they wrestle and grow windy, windy, old, old. |