Green, Green, New, Living: Lux Aeterna

March 31, 2020 Kate Belew with Lux Aeterna (New York City)

I want to make my memory ivy vine, 

woven, covering the windows, of this here house 
so when I can't bring myself to look outside
and see everything I can't change, I can

just see green, green, new, living. 

I have to be specific, can't weave my memory toxic,

not another itch I can't scratch, not another berry

I shouldn't taste—how do we deal with 

whatever is poison, just hold in it the mouth 

and never anything more? 

Then so be it. 

It's the smallest penance, the bitter fear

on my tongue as fertilizer for ivy vines,

come green, green, new, living.