I Was a Man

I was a Man
Crawling up the fearful shore
The door
Ajar, with a wink to future martyrs
The stone cast to the tide-line

I went about the land and gathered things
For my family and for the encouragement
Of trees
My life simple and elegant and twisted
Psychedelic notions in the morning breeze,
Well before the discovery of medicine

I was at my prime
My id propelling me through the monotony
Lithe destiny moving us inland
My heart ripening towards my knees
Our children dreaming of sapling trees


The ribbon twisted a jagged infinity
So perfect in its shadows
Death unto life, and the uncharted line
Stretching into comfortable
Repetition

You are a Woman
As I was a Man
Now a boy

How your eyes remind me of lives past
Where in one, you wrapped me, and coolly eyed
Just one moment before I died
You started me up anew, Soul Sister;
As for Brother Death, he never lied.