CALLED

Causes – the battered women cause    the endangered earth cause
cause of the diseased    cause of the addicted the deranged
cause of those enslaved by too much of not enough
cause of the bear for years clamped in irons to siphon her bile –

cause me to defend the cause of soul

Called aside
compelled by her claim unless I attend her
the whole will crack exposing its hollow

called to stay apart
not like a naked monk in an alpine cave
even he takes along a book of prior understandings

to stay like a white shroud no words    no images
because soul needs what only I can give
surroundings made up of absence    an open door