Poetry
For Zibilla, on her birthday
by David Ortmann
written in 1992
A spicy tofu salad
with fresh broccoli and herbs
silver forks and spoons and knives
a keg of Bass Ale
on the back porch with ice
and old friends to laugh and drink it with
bright blue sunshine
and a lucid red moon
sexy black clothes
and those that are warm and crunchy
blue wool socks
and safe hot sex
a big old blanket for the cold
and hot naked bodies when it's warm
sweaters with turquoise and coral and blue
a hat with a brim that flops in your eyes
kites that do tricks and swirls and dives
against a baby blue spring sky
a frosty bottle of Southern Comfort
a big old bag of shrooms
and a white farmhouse tucked away in the woods
bubbly champagne to tickle your nose
and a ripe juicy mango to wash it down
a roaring fire to roast your feet
and a snow crusted window against your breath
ghost stories
sad stories
and a game of Truth or Dare
A happy play to make you sing
a sad movie to make you think
a standing ovation for the work you've done
a man to kiss you with all his heart
and a woman to do the same
a featherbed to lay your head
and a homespun quilt to wrap you warm
sandals and clogs
and slippers and boots
a cake you can have
and eat too
a call from your folks
and cards in the mail
a steaming loaf of homemade bread
New Year's with the Grateful Dead
a sweet long Dark Star in your name
beads of aurora green and red
a vest with fringe and feathers and fur
a night on the town
and a day home alone
a painting a song a play and a book
words of love and actions too
a land of people with pure dark skin
blond haired women with sitars and bells
and August breeze through the setting sun
with bare young bodies across the grass
an emerald ruby sapphire ocean
with myriads of gleaming diamond fish
I wish you all the wondrous wishes in the world
and a sky full of stars to hear them.
for Zibilla Wolfe
Washington DC
1992