Poems of Margarita Engle

TROPICAL CURRENT
 
river bank
a child tastes
reflected stars
 
coral reef
the paper boat’s
dream
 
diaspora
the river escapes
into sea
 
shoreline
a woman sings
to waves
 
paper boat
the folded poem
is free
 
 
 
CHORUS
 
In a forest where people believe
that all conflict begins when trees fall asleep
 
everyone sings to awaken their home
the green ceiling that reaches for sky
 
and the slow-moving floor
of branched, spreading roots
 
growth is the forest’s promise,
harmony the human plea.
 
 
 
 
MEMORIAL
 
black stone
the long wall of names
even though
I have never seen the wall
I see the hands—touching names
 
 
 
LUMINOUS ISLAND
 
If islands had borders of earth I would search
for some way to help you across the fine line, isolation.
Soul in the sea on a raft in the heart of this waiting
wide arc of stars, wild motion, the waves, churning storm, racing clouds.
 
Sky, land and sea share a season of light
airborne fireflies, buried glowworms, a red tide of waves on the ocean
glimmer of phosphorescent algae dripping from boats and flying fish
the radiant oars of hope, escaping.
 
If islands had borders of air I would search for a breeze
soul afloat on a river of stars, tranquil sky, welcome haven.
 

By: Margarita Engle