Unbutton

1.

button with no buttonhole

no		shirtsleeve
	collar
	waistband
	epaulette

cuff		lip
fly 		eye

	double

rose-pinned lapel
stiff upper breast pocket

	shadow

button where button was

2.

button made of
wood
bone
plastic
metal
doesn’t matter
as long as 
it’s tough

this will be 
bloodless

the prick
is not
the point

3.

button as brass
cross-section
of a .22 cartridge

remote as 
some other
planet’s
   fallen
sun

four black spots
bottomless

4.

lost button
in the road

pancake-flat
punctured

ready for 
rain’s
  dropped
stiches

5.

button up your overcoat
(you got me buttoned)

mismatched button
green among the red

those are buttons
that were his eyes

button hanging by a

6.

target 
arrow-pierced

each orifice
entrance 
& exit

as
softness is to strength
as
freedom is to bind
as
wholeness is to mend
as
circle is to square

Cards from the Tarot de Marseille

King of Cups

I hold a candle
to your cup

Is that deep blue
void or full

Careful don’t spill
one drop

can light the way
for days
   

The Hermit

I have grown old
at the crossroads

waiting for you
The urn is empty

ashes scattered
long ago

How can we live
unguided by love

every day pacing
the burial grounds

trying to avoid
open graves

I stand at the edge
and look down

is that button
or breadcrumb

Among stubborn roots
a few dead leaves 
    

Le Pape

music is the wise man’s religion
music is power
music talks
music is the root of all evil

a good name is better than music
health is better than music
life’s too short to save music
show me the music

music makes the world go round
music doesn’t grow on trees
music is better than poverty
anyone who’s made music has gone broke

a fool and his music are soon parted
put your music where your mouth is
this is blood music
you can bet your bottom note

time is music
use it or lose it
if music burns a hole in your pocket
put a button in it

© 2022 – Phoebe Tsang / All Rights Reserved