from Literary Salt
"We think the fire eats the wood. We are wrong.
The wood reaches out
to the flame."
--Jack Gilbert
Soft belly, open heart, let what flows
flow uninhibited. Let the helical curve
of the ear be kissed, the structure of bones
be lightly stroked. Open now to the intelligence
carried by a taste, or in light shaping a divan.
You can know what holds you beyond this bright
falling of matter, and you may be penetrated.
The cells are ready--they will blink more messages
than you can comprehend. And when life comes
to what bleeds, what burns, don't wait
for the fire. It is waiting for you.
James Bertolino, Poet & Planetary Visionary
James Bertolino's poetry has been published in magazines, books, and anthologies internationally for almost 40 years, from "Drool" published in 1968 to his most recent, "Pocket Animals: 60 Poems" published in 2002 by Egress Studio Press. Check out his website to purchase his publications through Egress Studio Press and for more information and free beautiful poetry greeting cards that you can copy & print directly from his website.
(Photo by Jane Sherry and the photo of James, courtesy of the poet. All poems reprinted here with the kind permission of James Bertolino.)