Rob Schackne #129 - Untitled Beetles

             Untitled Beetles                              

                             
                                   for Patterson

 I too believe that beetles speak from longing

 loved by a God that never speaks to them
 that after looking around for somebody
 else to do the work finally it's up to them
 the beetle people the beetle poets
 to examine the record very carefully
 for the ones closest to the inner bark
 and listen for the scratches near its heart
 scrying and carving a message no one else can hear
 except you and me and the little kid over there
 also loved by a God that won't clean up his mess
 this one encouragement is our commonality
 as we see small souls gathered in all their places
 under the sky in the trees standing in the wind