Tenured exile—
voluntary hermit,
tainted youth
and hemlock
warm drinks,
spoiled food,
poisoned in:
thought
feeling
understanding
compassion
and hope
the cell kept loosely
a door untested
plug in
electric chair
and stare
into despair
walls learned by heart
with the light put out
a new light
traces the confines,
bleeding in
through the window
it names the bars
by casting them
eyes all over
beauty everywhere
broken mind,
weary soul,
failing cones
a dead heart
bleeds anew,
wet from birth,
drunk in wonder
hope reaches the ears,
failure pours from the mouth
he stumbles outward—
or inward,
it is unclear
azure dome overhead
neck cranes
light, unbearable,
without edge
streams trickle down
the desert of a face
high-mileage heart
combusts like new,
carburated—
radioactive lungs
the absolute beauty.
spring radiates
after living
through winter
tenured no longer—
stamped and done