Sea Of Storms

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529

I had forgotten the indecent downpour
the one I so long ago sheltered from
until the drizzle of this morning
and there, unslept, I was suddenly shot
through with red feeling
and driven mad by ruthless emptiness.
Now the hollow world of night
returns and takes possession of
the tables that never really turn
but they leave me waiting, furious
and return me to something small and bent and out of doors,
lumpy, coughing weapon
staggering behind the weight of those crazy years.

532

Our Sistah! a whispering chant
lurching we forward toward you nymph your song
and smoke we cast outward and find you mortal
you, expected force descending,
passing watchman sleeping
veiled truth is now broken,
the flame of boughs and sunlight
my evil arms deserve you
my expected tears turn into
voices
Shema Israel Adonai Elohenu

We Are Stunned By the Absurdity Of Our Situation

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527

Breathe in the hot night
take a smile for your mistress
and give into a charmed glove
in a spare bed
where you train for the end
where you look out for different dances
perhaps like a wedding you'll never attend where
the hand lectures the depths
and droops from the carrying of
maidens who wash up on the beach
to make you hard.

528

what's good for looking at
is a weapon for kissing
a nickel-plated instinct with your
initials carved on the side
jeweled modesty holding
gallons of you between its thighs
its accent indistinct
its knees hinting at what's to come
the dark advance of fascination
you think is for you
but you are mistaken
you are just a seam a
daring vice laid limp
to advance the night.

Nearby Catastrophes

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525

We join the cult of insubordination
and commit dearest marriage with our own eyelids
and teach love's lessons to
the impersonators of our sins
the shadows rise against our unspeakable offenses
as the junkman halls away the cult of the past
we are indecent instruments
courting beauty and its partner,
fragmentary light-
cruising the streets with strict martinets
looking for a telephone
we are encouraged to go out through the windows
and join the flying voices outside.

526

O, don't ask me how
I got this tail
you might smell thanks and
get poetry
instead
O, go for the pleasant answer
the easy answer
these blind days
may just amuse you.

Monsters In Conversation

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523

Holding my breath
rustling, bursting,
what comes to pass?
standing up and finished I net a thing,
a yoke of diamonds
no more measurements need be taken
shed these blows and wait
for the larger world outside
wait at the edge of understanding
Where the sweat and silk
will be taken from your hands
and replaced with nails.


524

The splendid cat surrenders
to the blind pull of the street
at chilly, chilly night it shifts
its poses to small things, how it
decides its conversion
and departs the mirror,
and washes away the delicate
blackness around it.
what little second-hand
mouth are we reminded of, anyway?

It Seems Like A Dream

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521

enjoy the change
keeping good but held down
going from job to job
and read about some possible slaughter
the cruelty will hurt you
jumping
thumping
squatting
another hell inserts itself
and belches news
and keeps us waiting


522

I find enough comfort
in the curse of an eclipse
it helps to know that even fools
can kiss
where luck alone is not enough
one may pace a country of minutes
and hold us bare at the brothel door
we monsters nurse various vipers
and share infernal opinions
upturning the things we share
and having enough of proper prayer
goddamn the ear that finds this voice
buying smoke and hoping for help

Pointing To A Different Horizon

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519

I promised not to cry
but could feel the weight of your fall
through the smoke and
magnificence of it all
you are falling
your excellent lies
and glorious weight
your eyes proud, disobey
now. You
you are a devourer a
piercing sign of
shame.
I admire your altitude
as you fall,
you are falling


520

The good word
a flute of violent correctness
the heart creeps, trembling toward safety
tender the bloom
that does not mean a thing
but gently waits its nature
a slave to all these faces
to the anticipation of eyes
to the balance of a kiss and
the good beginnings
waiting for the time
waiting for the morning
waiting for the hard word:
she's not there

Shadows and Divots

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518

All things end.
before there was experience
there was a gentle hand
that tied the knot
that bent the rocks
and made the sea
this was not a life of rain
but of mail order blooms and
kneelength dreams
incredibly, even joy became unfastened
and fell like rocks
lost in time
All things end.
the young are served
their darling roads are satinlined
cause yet undecided
their finger stiff and
pointed slowly downward

518

Adorer of night
the royal tight
took a wrong turn
in the eyelet of Paris
hound of distinction
awaiting dishonor
how dull your eyes now
your visitor an
admirer
the dance thickens as the
head gets heavy
you mumble your orders
the sickness advances
infatuations are bungled
we lace our intentions
with voices dancing
we remain worn with luck