Blue Dragon after artist Gajain Fujiuta

by Jennifer Lemming

Blue dragon who is body-looped, tire-ridges scales
    are spiraling blue fire, hot tailpipe heat
    on the side of some yellow brick garage.

Blue dragon, riding on top of eternal waves of internal combustion coils,
     energy supports orthographic script - maybe Japanese,
    maybe your own language,
    on top of your own language,

on the side of a garage in east Los Angles.

Brother Raven

by Jennifer Lemming

I met you at the Pow Wow, your hair not afro’d
but in long braids and your soft spoken words
telling me of your families coming together.

Later that day I see four ravens in a tree,
waiting for a sunset, moonrise or a breeze.

I ask them “what are your signs?”
A mouse , a lizard, a worm, a pecan.

I watch them taking flight,
with the stars of the Milky Way
reflecting off their black.