I wanted to play alone
I notice you moving aboard the ship, not comfortable there.
Where you speak, the breath falls down to the ground
and up shoots something with worse breath
that talks about you. I’m trying to fix this.
I want to look inside your complicated body.
You have broken laws. I would go insane if I tried to understand
every nuance.
You notice me moving aboard the ship, not comfortable there.
Where I speak, the breath falls down to the ground
and up shoots something with worse breath
that talks about me. Try to fix this.
You want to look inside my complicatd body.
I have broken laws. You would go insane if you tried to understand
every nuance.
Poem to Everybody
Last night you worked wonders in bed.
You sat in a chair in the corner of the room.
You watched a recovery.
I have seen you trying to smell your breath.
The jam leaked out of my heart.
You took your time writing the papers.
Don’t stick your arm out the window at this speed.
There is a burglar in your cabin.
Keep your head down and cook.
Let me take you by the hand.
I will guide you.
Your dancing turns heads.
You will sing for food.
You sneaked under the bridge thirteen years ago and kissed your sister.
There is a piece of pizza on your lap.
When they discovered plastic, you were there making fun of it.
When some sailors entered the harbor, you welcomed them and were shot.
Your breath is terrible, and you have tried to kiss me.
A statue of you was torn down on the television.
I owe everything to you. We all do.
You investigate us. You have seen inside.
The chili is too hot for you, but you pine for it when it is taken away.
You are the mortar.
You have me spellbound. I too love your dancing.
You threaten the peace.
Let’s get married.
Everybody, sit down.
We need to talk.
This will be hard to explain.
Everybody is lost. Or found. Or once was.
Everybody, show yourself to the door.
Your mouth is beautiful. It has many stories to tell.
Reveille
I side with the walnuts
at dinner. Abby’s allergy
makes her head blow up
and I get the idea to
blow up all our food.
Blood flows from the steak.
I promote the lifeguard.
I testify in a closed hearing
that we have never used
electricity. The bill comes in
by bird. I send little
replies on stamps that say,
“nice try.” Everybody up,
time to mountain the hill.
A seven-year-old with spurs.
I own the computer.
I’ll make it warmer.
Warm enough for the snow
to fall. Warm enough to
keep the kid’s blood moving.
The birds are hilarious.
They have nowhere to bathe.
Get the fountain started!
A black cap on them
means they’re nervous.
The bird with
pie in his eye. A strange
enough for us love.
Strange in love.
Tell me to make it
to the door. Half a mile long
leading straight through the
precise moment of interest.
The off-ramp descends
below the staircase. Where
the medieval
philosophy dwells.
The first of the good to go.
Then the second string,
the injury reserves. Almost
dancing into the fray.
Maybe to sterilize
the entire army.
Rich and no beach in Zion.
A capitol hotel. The quality
is that good. I’ve injured
the family now. I’ve
adopted them. A good
laxative before sex. A crown
to protect one from
the rain. Feed your
diamonds or they
come back to bite.
My bitch, my sense of
humor, and my
trolley full of confetti.
An original tear happened
to fall in between my
trebuchet and your guru.
The pipes were secreting
masks in the prescribed
fashion. The dentist
in my building married
a fan. How many
letters would constitute
a gust? How to tell
if his sails are raised?
And then,
again for the first time.
As if I’d never said the
word. As if it had
been mine
all along. In
a box. In a cabin
in the woods
in a camp with
pursed lips. That’s
it, to death.
To rejuvenate
my tongue. With
the sound of harpies
lashing at the last swell of
meat. I sense an
afghan on my shoulders.
This thought flickers
a long time in my window
so the neighbors
check if I’m all right.
