Rhonda Johnson 3 Untitled Poems 1. One turns water to wine One turns a cuss word into a song That rolls off his tongue Like music you want to make love to One put a spell on my mind Monster rolling fire Off his tongue and his cheek Hot white simmered against mine Dragon jewels by the soda fountain I am so scared of you 2. I am a master swimmer Pining in Sahara sands That scorch my soul And filter through my longing toes Pour some water on me Distant prince Open your arms and let me dive in I know the rhythms of gentle strokes One rhythm rocking me One ocean flowing with me Rising out of Sahara sands 3. When I was a ghost imploding in silence My mind fed on regurgitations of life Brimmed over with old stuff to share Like a fountain in a park Where the people use their pennies for the bus When I was asleep I thought I was awake Until I really did wake up And realized I'd been asleep You really don't know What your words have meant to me When I was a ghost A solid word anchored me in reality When I was asleep An eye to eye encounter Rocked me in comfort Roused me to love I Can Read Your Words The blasphemous ones That rise from a profane world That can only be expressed Four letters at a time I can read your words For I am not called to be squeamish I am called to be holy I can read your words Because holiness is not a dour sniff Or an exceptionally long list Of things I don't do Holiness is a love That you bet' not mess with Holiness is understanding And actions that go beyond What is merely required and convenient I can read your words Because holiness does not look on sin Holiness does not touch sin Holiness became sin And nailed it to a cross