in the early morning
brought you bagel
ran your papers
did not turn in mine—
a strange form of worship—
bright rings around the eyes of pigeons
softly, wallpaper symmetry
on cafeteria mats
when you finally slept at last I was freed—
or
freed from service
church service—
drew an upside-down pyramid
with my hands
indicating one portion of
a boundariless field
of monistic implexures—
a tapestry
of tapestries
a house made of bricks
made of houses made
of bricks
a soft
flower
on impact
what he wanted
I did not want
I did not want
to want what he wanted
enough to want
what he wanted
when he spoke
I was speaking
to myself
when he offered to eat
I was satisfied
to lick
my fingers
each finger
a bright tab
calling
call-
ing
call-
in
g
❈
once a bright morning,
into sharp relief
"an owl!
how /nowvel!/'"
I had never seen it
so the owl
was a rare treat
and I watched
for two hours
I did not make it on time
this I could regret
some hardship
but that's a fond one
pops
the rawest
milk
the tearingest
honey
the
sea
I would have payed
telephone bill
two months ago;
would have payed
speeding ticket
first Sunday;
would pay off
all loans
a decade before this second—
but a white butterfly
landed on my shoulder—
trembling at its own
courage