Jake's Flea Market

deeper the casket lies 

under earth 
like an egyptian horde under water

moses come
stretch your staff over the grave

grave open
like a road between cliffs

casket 
in the middle of the road   open
wide as a yawn
 
expose
the skull   the wrinkled
dust on an aged face   that peels
falls away   exposes
a ball of bone

holes in the skull where were
opa’s ears   where now 
only the voice of dust enters
hear me

hole in the skull where was
opa’s mouth   where now only 
the dialect of dust is spoken
speak
speak to me   speak
opa’s memory with opa’s voice   say

i remember an aluminum pipe

one end went
into the old man* like a straw

the other end went
into the mouth of a pump on the shore

the pump drank

the pump sucked
an artery out of the old man

old man   unite
close the grave of divided water 

bring me a babe in a basket 
that floats like ra’s celestial bark   adrift

wash it up on the beach


*Old Man River in Southern Alberta