Center of the Universe
for Epping
We chomp wood at
midnight—swing
axes like bottles
of schnapps—until
our tires blow out
and the stars are
there above us—
a nude Irish
judge, cuffing
us as we
buy him shotsSomewhere there’s
someone fighting
over a plastic
guitar, and someone
I…
TEARS FOR FEARS
He says with his hand
On the back of my neck
In some new place where
I was dropped off, O
Unable now to go
To the girl I was before
Powerless before
The Saigon of my corpuscles
Wet before any of the rain even came
He was very handsome
With a fist for…
Poem
Don’t move. I don’t want you
To disappear like that
Again.When you disappear I feel like you’re dead
But you’re obviously not dead
I can feel you breathingWhat is the difference then
Between dead
And disappearedThe amount of blood in the sink
Is less than
The amount of blood on…
An Angry Poem Just For You
I used to be size-zero skinny & now
I am no longer so.
The last time I saw you I was severe
because I felt so collarbone
& hadn’t eaten in days & now I can
again, & I hate myself a little.
If I could have been a saint
I’d first have married God. Then I’d
…
Signs are a changeling,
winged calfs, winged lions,
clouds of smoke,
and smoke of clouds,
and all can see and read
R - O - T - A
take look, it’s in a book,
everyone’s reading
a rebirth or a beginning.
You’re fortune is changing
Traveler, it will be inverted,
A - T - O - R
But the joy this is! Know that the
Wheel speaks the Law Of Love.
If I stress discipline
And control I miss
The way my flowers
Dip into the mane
And curl and weave
around my own head.
I’ll see that the struggle
is internal if I stare at
the tongue, the jaw, and
ignore my bent halo.
The eyes are meeting
my hands around your maw
your paws seem to be
hovering as if that is the
water. I tame you, my
Solar hero.
If you’re alone
Remember, it’s
by choice.
And your beard,
that’s a choice too.
But the lamp
it’s a need (Not
a want) to see all
this bad history,
to whisper cat-
calls to carrion,
to offer prayer
from your snow-
caps to you sinners.
Lean on your staff
when your knees
go weak, when your neck
goes slack,
when your robes turn
to ash.
If the chakra in the base of your spine
has the will and if the fight is indeed
OUTSIDE, then your query won’t
be solved by crying.
If the wings on your cart and the stars
on your crown indicate strength and
other hero-isms, then know that VICTORY
comes and comes and comes and comes
but only at all costs.
Your back turned to the city.
Your back against the water.
Your steeds pull you apart.
The sky steadfastly burns behind you.
If you are two people
And you are in Love
Then you should
TOUCH YOURSELF LIKE YOU MEAN IT
And if there is an angel
Hovering over your naked
Bodies then you should
FORCE AN EMBRACE
And if the mountain
Behind you, glowing pinkly
In an indeterminate light,
Begins to emit an Angel
Then you should
TAKE THE SNAKE INTO YOUR HANDS
And if the angel’s hair is on fire
Then you should
FIND THE BEAR INSIDE
But if the angel’s
Hair is made of leaves
Then you should
EAT THE FRUIT
But only if the angel is
Standing on a cloud
And not withering in
The smoke coming from
The burning tree.
