TO ROSE O'NEILL

HAVE YOU ASCENDED STAIRS
NOT TOUCHING THEM ,
EASILY TURNING AND HOLDING OUT YOUR PROUD HAND
TO BEAR WITNESS?
WONDERING WHY YOU HAD NOT ALWAYS DONE THIS THING ,
SO SIMPLE AN ASCENT ,
FLOATING OVER PEOPLE ,
SMILING FOR THEM?

AND HAVE YOU CEASED AND FLOWN NO LONGER ,
WAKED AGAIN ,
BOUND BY THE WOUND OF YOUR CHAIN?

ASCEND WITH ME THEN ,
BE WITH ME IN THESE SONGS —
HOLD OUT YOUR PROUD HAND
TO BEAR WITNESS .