Chard deNiord: Tree of Wisdom
I am taken in by its stand and breadth,
marveling at its brawn and reach of branches,
studying each leaf like the page of a sacred book,
embracing its trunk like a void.
Chard deNiord: See How Brightly The Leaves Fall With Grief
How long then short the days grow across the Earth.
Chard deNiord: To the Luna Moth
Out of nowhere, which is every-
where, I sang to you with a tongue
in the form of a leaf as you fell
asleep…
Chard deNiord: What Can Anyone Say
In memory of the Ukrainian children, parents, and civilians who have been murdered by Russian troops and Prime Minister Putin during Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine
Chard deNiord: I Was Walking Around
in the woods below the house by the stream when suddenly I thought, Why write another thing about the woods or stream or sky as I have for years? Why … Continue reading
Chard deNiord: I Was Swimming
I was swimming with you in a river
that was both rushing and still.
Remember?
Chard deNiord: The Hand
a finger here, a knuckle
there, but never the hand al-
together, except in a vision
for which I’m loathe to take
any credit, even for a nail
Chard deNiord: “We Will Not Give Up on Each Other”: A Conversation with Major Jackson
We are living in an age of absurdity, but I am casting for wider seas.
Chard deNiord: Lizard, An Exegesis as Love Letter
So when you woke, there I was in my Sunday best as a funny little guy with a complex tongue and stunted legs who spoke the double truth.
Chard deNiord: Checklist
the red coal an angel places on the tongue like a treat
Chard deNiord: Last Goodbye in the Time of Corona
The darkness arrived without your voice
or touch, my love, and yet I heard
your voice and felt your hand in mine.
Chard deNiord: The Music of Being
Hold a hazelnut up to your eyes
as a lens for seeing through,
then wake to a katydid and say its name.
Chard deNiord: Open Letter to the President from a Citizen, August 21, 2019
I write to you, Mr. President, from inside
the cell in which you’ve locked the country
with ICE.
Chard deNiord: I stand beneath the mountain with an illiterate heart
The darkness of my sacred ignorance enlightens me.
Vox Populi 