body
lightweight flesh stretched over bones young enough to be
mine
she says, “I’m not asking you to believe in me.
but
silver-haired daddy’s got it confused
i’m not persephone.”
talk can be dangerous and  tape it across my
mouth
“these things you need to do
i never asked you how.”
line me up in single file
with all your grievances
still
i can taste you still
alive
below the waves
something tragic in your stars and charts and maps and
       destiny
black dog coming back when you
open up
for the rest of the world to breathe
i think i can see
“I’m not asking you to believe in me.
but
silver-haired daddy’s got it confused
i’m not persephone.”
but if you need time
sometimes i think
if we take some time
i won’t mind
down the river your friend names
after me
i don’t hold onto the tales of your kind
line me up in single file
with all your grievances
still
i can taste you still
alive
below the waves

calling for myself  in the corners of the world
i know she’s playing poker with the rest of the stragglers
pale kind
i know she’s playing poker with the rest
the rest
how many fates turn around in the other time
bag in the ulcer field
dreams that you’ll never find
you thought that you were the ****** one
WELL SO DID I
SAY YOU DON’T WANT IT
SAY YOU DON’T WANT IT
SAY YOU DON’T WANT IT
AGAIN AND AGAIN And again and again and

she says, “I’m not asking you to believe in me.
but
silver-haired daddy’s got it confused
i’m not persephone.”
talk can be dangerous and  tape it across my
mouth
“these things you need to do
i never asked you how.”

i know we’re falling and there’s no sign of getting through
in your heart i feel the west
and it’s dying too

I think they understand squat
In your ear
The colossus is growing
Split at your feet like a ripe fruit
Concave flesh
Clock starts—flesh, bone
Nothing there

Mundane space between the knife and thumb
“What a thrill,” you tell to me, “My thumb instead of an onion.”
Thrill indeed
Your father instead of the world
Swallow black—whole oceans in your throat
Swimming back to Daddy

You did it again and I say it’s
Coming back again
Back again
Again

Lilac nurse in a prom dress
Tinged in grey and Cambridge sweaters
Brushing the sun
Teddy makes you laugh eventually
Say you know what you want
He said you were the real thing
So learn

I can taste you alive
I’m underneath the floorboards
Ibuprofen
Blue tinged with your bandages
Christ takes His time to raise me back
The black dog
3 years
Still digging even when

You and I cross the sky and I cross my heart and I cross my legs oh my
God
Bit your pretty red heart in two

My first love writes about you
In her bell jar
Only a fragment in a humming of
New York and electricity

I’m crazy about electrocutions
Wiring on the brain going
Overdrive
Burning cerebellum smelling of sweet cigarette smoke and
Betrayal

Richard found a suitcase in your room
Got big bird on the fishing line
A bit of a shout
Bit of a start
Bit of an angry snarl
“He’s my favorite ****** of the whole bunch.”

And we know about his only bride
And the Russians die on the way out
Electric red is dangerous
Tape across the mouth
Smoke coming from a socket

Wear the hat, honey
Tinged with Siberia and America’s headache
With nine inch nails and little
Fascist *******
Tucked inside the heart of everyone
Like you
But only to accessorize

What a rush
Up into the passageway of American fame
I can’t think of any other means to get by
Neither can my Elizabeth

Everyone knows I’m her friend
Everyone knows I’m her man

Bring your sister
Wives
Daughters
If you think you can handle it
Tommy likes the way she holds him
Makes you crawl—dollar bill beggar

And is it true
That the devil ends up like this?
Make something safe for the picture frame
A kick of diamond septum
Fizzy bullet in the brain

She’s your *******
Got your Stepford’s skating the edge
Of something sweeter than domesticity
Cities gotta give
Let in a little bite
Hot
Wind

Cut it again.

Abigail’s a pretty one
Even with dead rye on the brain
Scurrying under couches
The foot is dead

February’s heavy and ours victory a *****
As much mine as she is yours
Squeeze into my dress
Pale sky and grey skin is hard to scrub out
Squeeze into my dress
And become a human being
There’s too much of you
Of me

Betty’s a kind soul
And I hear she still grants forgiveness
Telling me
“I guess I’m an underwater thing so I guess I can’t take it personally.”  
Get it out the system
Rocks in your legs
Line me up in single file
With all your grievances
Sinking in a gentle pool of wine and water
I don’t know which one Jesus really wanted to change

I taste her in the water
She’s going off with confusion
Not
Persephone

“So I must be flowing.”
Out for God
Out for them

I pray the lord
My soul to keep
It
Just between us

It’s a consequence of sorts in this place
Something coming along in frame of mind
In Her eyes, ego shouldn’t have a face
And all of us are the ones to blame

Hijack Mrs. Jesus for a small trip
13 hours to Mexico-what a waste
To think no follower would miss
The chance to see her in her proper place

heart—cease and desist this racket
a jumping of one
                                                             two
you know where we are going

my flower
is a proud blooming
on the face—dress up and play the part for bright shiny cameras in a dark blue
                                                                                                 stallion
Dealy Plaza is thinspacelusicouspinkburntfilmsunkissedwithmotorcycleoil
                        the dress is wet
he’s such a cute boy when not so
          defunct
in her eyes
laden and lead down behind a socket—ripe
flesh is
                                                          weak

“Sorry, not sorry,” says the nature of change
Brought through with cameras and champagne on the brain
Sometimes I wonder how you handle it
New York is a drowning city
What a pity -- strangers
Lose themselves in the noise a bit
But know your clothes, your face
The smell of Chanel
And cold bedsheets

Keeps the mind’s peace and pieces  
Flittering on fame’s release
Hollywood’s a real scream
Isn’t it? Winding and navigating the museum of dolls
Please! Give a little more

In the room with the TV blinkers
Smile
And then you’ll mean something to me

Blue haze of taffeta and ballyhoo
Cold haze of taffeta and ballyhoo
***** burns the throat and is a heavy glory
Holds itself on your brain and the mirror’s a real thing
To illuminate inside and out and who
You are nothing short of a barbiturate queen
Take a breath

In the room with the TV blinkers
Smile
And then you’ll mean something to me