The next mutated couplet in the sequence:

7        Mountain High

Upon rising from a bed of moss (to a dusty spire)

I entreated them to take of Christ’s body

And through this sarcophagy a remote contact was established

Five pine trees like steeples

Drank the blood red wine

And lumbered softly on

I took a stone lathe and forged a great tower,

I paid no more heed to whispering messiahs,

Nor the voice of the grove

The wind blew through the velvet canvas.

And from out it spake the echoey words

“Small coins melt upon demand (or request).”

(Graham  16 May 2022)

8      Precious, little rock

Before Alan dies I take the knife and head home

As the clouds fall over the rocks I hope the devil

will rest—so small an ask for the next part

He sleeps with everyone in the house—it is very

popular—but then Blackbeard fuels every brave blade

by shooting up the insomniacs with his madness

In Turkey the wells tremble in the north and 

the water rises heating up wringing hands

from which the Lord removes shameful gloves

The water covers that northern house now

the winged old music and the ignorant Yeti

leave—for this is the day of their demise

(Geoffrey Mark Matthews 21 May 2022)