Erica Campbell

Eclipse

I know I am crescent
a pointed smile
of gems without measure
and all of the intrigue as well.

Only a fragment
of what I should be,
the part that shines best
is kept hidden
obscured

So to remind us all
that no matter how thin
you slice yourself
there will always be two sides.

Outside

The boy and man
are the seashells now-
cracking and hollow,
buried too deep in the sand.

Since a baby he was spoiled
fruit,
an artistic fire
with irrational smoke
and crinkling paper with lines.

Into the pines, the imprinted leaves
-Irony-
the paint of the peaceful,
and that ridiculous habit
of biting nails.

They should suffer together
down by the lake
under the lake
let every wave fill them,
Two seashells
and many windows on the floor.

Swim

It could be anything really:
suffocating for fun,
flying on the ground,
the momentary power to penetrate walls-
These are all things I've done.
Possibly it is where we all came from
-equal for once and never again-

it's a blessing if you believe,
when you're clean
Something about the water
filling cracks and scars I've never had. . .

Sapphire as a city silence
of the privilege of being deaf from birth;
I have written lifetimes
built mansions and given secrets away
		in exchange for this-
tiny bit of grace

The Field

In loving memory
of the Indian in my blood,
I can exist understanding
man does not inherit from ancestors
but borrows from his child

I walk in search of hills
with no names-
trees that trust enough
to talk back.

I cry as present
not ever having
much more to give.
They see me coming 
in two?s or three?s
or however it works with us:
and I am tempted to lie,
say that I am different
because I have second sight
		and spin aqua into pretty words

But for this once
I will forfeit the reason
and simply bow low enough
to show you
that this is my home, My love.