then poet would not lend
having been knelt upon
aphrodite and smirk
wealthy promise for wants
and dealt words of wisdom

now i begin as asking
with what god's you have held
desire's as resist, to selfish my beats

sieve their poor depth, scarce the shelf
which is not the reach of another's nails


as i do, i maxwell
when wasn't spite taught?
when poet hid in the water dying