advent in the desert
and dry bone dust of
dayspring
drip-dropping
the thrush
and the burning
and now the waiting
now again
for the dun-colored dark ones
black-clad hairshirts worn smooth
and cirrus cloud beards
wisped and wizened
and two-fold for the two natures
crevasses below the eyes
runnels of salt water like faces fording the Jordan
like the Nile in flood

waiting the border birth
of souls clutching the tree
pomegranate lacework chest plates
bearing the names of
the many men so beautiful

and fragrant blossoms of arms outstretched
nuptial mystery of heartsong and homecoming
and the honeycombed kyries

beg them to walk the borders
the fire watcher ravens calling up the sun
calling down the descent of olive and branch
and dove
the fine press of oil
the good measure shaken together

and already dead
let them die again
with no shelter only
the paten
the diskos
the homemaking refuge of hoc est hoc est

and coming in under where there is only the
do this