American Devil

She had mentioned
as I squeezed
a few peaches
that i should hurry
that her mother
was afraid
of my face

It's alright
I get that
just about
all the time

And I do
but she
with features
that drew my breath
like the Loch
at midnight

Spoke of her Father
who
on his death bed
worked his last painting
which was of
the Devil
who he had met

And I was almost
too captivated
by her dialect
to catch
that his devil
looked identical
to me

Diablo Negro

So I scare your mother
I squeeze your peaches
and condemn your daddy
to hell

that's too bad

Here's three dollars
and an apology

for wanting your fruits
for scaring your mother
for grinnin' too wide
for being me
-BH

Apple Seed

Red Sun
burnin' my back
into leather

diggin' the soft earth
stainin' my fingers
with geological history

countless rainfalls
births
deaths...

of species
i ain't never heard of

and I'm diggin'
with love
in my heart
and the hope
that this man
of leather and sweat

can line our hard roads
with trunks and leaves
grinnin' petal faced babies
bees
butterflies
and gusts of wind
sweeter than syrup.

BH