A floating-leaf sequence

Here's a haiku sequence that I wrote back in 2006. I called it a 'floating-leaf' sequence because the repetition of lines from verse to verse reminded me of a leaf floating back and forth on the way to the ground. When I first wrote it I formatted the lines in such a way that it looked much like a leaf falling down the page, too. But in the end I decided it impeded the sense of the poem, so I standardized it a little bit into this form...



in our bodies now


orange blossoms
     over her childhood yard
          grasshopper’s long arc

          grasshopper’s long arc
     over her childhood yard
shimmering

shimmering
     on the motel window
          trickles of sweat

          trickles of sweat
     on the motel window
a sickly flicker

a sickly flicker
     the tv’s radiant breath
          her naked arm

          her naked arm
     the tv’s radiant breath
goose pimples

goose pimples
     her sunburst tattoo
          rayed with wrinkles

          rayed with wrinkles
     her sunburst tattoo
still aglow

still aglow
     the iris’ purple yearning
          in our bodies now

          in our bodies now
     the iris’ purple yearning
the dead fire’s heat



(originally published in South by Southeast v.13:no.3, 2006)