"Poetess"

There is a green lion in the bush at the end of the path.
--Loren Eiseley

a stalker of words, i forage
through poetry shelves. Sappho drifts
from around a corner. leaves pieces
of herself all over the carpet.
i scramble and gather. my longing
for an entire woman.
as soon as i touch, they fade.
i know she was there. the rustle
of lingering silk.
i open to a poem
by a man i've been encouraged to read.
he shows me a green lion, blinking
and not blinking,
behind the bush, at the end
of the path. i feel a welling.
the rise. i hear voices. quiet footfalls.
i see the lion.
Sappho walks with her hand in his mane.

Bio: Lisa Espenmiller: Poet, Writer, & Motherpeace Tarot Practitioner, is committed to the principle of waking up. As an Aquarian, it is her job to be unconventional. As a poet, it is her job to be unpopular with the folks who fear difference. Her poetry appears in Women's Studies Quarterly, Home Planet News, poetsagainstthewar.org, Coracle, WomenWise, Sheila-Na-Gig, and The Black Bear Review, along with many others. Her manuscript the way it really happened was a semi-finalist in the 2000 Cleveland State Poetry Prize competition. Her poetic skills, woven with her desire to be of service to others, infuse her visionary ability to offer deep, intuitive tarot readings. Her secret dream is to be a barefoot back-up singer in a soulful, 70's style R&B band. (editor's note: Well Lisa, it's not a secret anymore!)

Contact Lisa Espenmiller at comments@moondance.org