"there are stars in us, and these......constitute the heavens also"
Paracelsus

down
because there is no up
worth getting to

down because the sun
goes down

down
in the roots
of the bush
where I burn
and am never
consumed

the treasure
says Paracelsus
is in the lower
heaven

if this be treasure
why is my heart so
down
why do my muscles ache
remembering
every position
i've put them in
why do the fatty deposits
of my body
deny
the hard truth
of the bone?

down
in the deep heart of matter down
where it's blue
where it's cold
where the sun is
long gone
where it takes
a long time
for a stick
and a rock
to make fire-

what if
we never
see day
light
again?

what if
this
is all
there is-

this paper
this pen
these words

rock
stick
dirt
shovel that strikes
the blue stars that burn

in the lowering vault
of our flesh

what if
this is our only
treasure
our burial
chamber
		our flaming angel
					tongue?