Breaking Bones

    by David Anthony Sam

Let me break my bones into

a new shape, one fitted

to the earth after the green hills

have flamed into dry gray ash.

Let me have the shape of bones

broken to the earth

that has split itself in thunder

and heaved a new mountain

where two masses grind together.

The pain of these breakings

is a kind of song.

Perhaps inviting misery, perhaps

confused with awakenings.

Before the meal of my bones

has sunken into the soil, though,

green shoots of trillium, violet,

and trout lily will have grow

© 2015  David Anthony Sam

David Anthony Sam has written poetry for over 40 years and has two collections, including Memories in Clay, Dreams of Wolves (2014). He lives in Virginia with his wife and life partner, Linda, and currently serves as president of Germanna Community College. In 2014-15, he had poems accepted by American Tanka, Artemis Journal, The Birds We Pile Loosely, Carbon Culture Review, The Crucible, FLARE: The Flager Review, From the Depths, Heron Tree, Hound, Literature Today. On the Rusk, Piedmont Virginian Magazine, The Scapegoat Review, The Summerset Review, and The Write Place at the Write Time.