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he’s pawing at his left eye
– mannnnnnn it’s gotta go
a cigarette dances on the tongue
so Willie stretch those arms
– twice the size of a couch!
wrap Davey in your velvet ropes
– those damn claws
and take those ticks off of him
those purple and brown things
those ticks, Willie
– laughter, no, from me
he’s pawing at his right eye
– mannnnnnn it’s gotta go
the squad is taking aim
feathers in their mouth
– not until the signal, babies
so Miranda stretch those arms
you feel like you’re a cartoon
and you can’t get out
– yes ma'am yes yes
well ain’t that a trick trick trick
isn’t it
yes this won’t do no it won’t
please Willie come back home
– not here not right now
we’ve got a new bed for you
free of mice and crumbs
we know you can hear us
the telephone is rumbling
rumbling
-
-
here
no we see you Willie
they’re dying out here
a spiraling mess
– not here not right now
he’s pulling out his hair
– mannnnnnnnn it’s gotta go
a butterfly in a jar
dying under the light
coming through the cracks
– I can’t stand the terror
so that’s it
that’s it
we’re holding each other dearly
that’s it
nobody here to save us
– not here not right now
forgive us this one thing
kiss our old lover once more
once on the lips
once on the temple
before the butterfly breaks
its prison before the squad
fires those dead ravens
before the cigarettes burn the
tongue
– yes yes yes dear friend
-
-
a postscript found in the snow:
lover did your eyes
always burn light
like they do now in my dreams
am I forgetting truer times
than when I found god in your navel
when you called me so late
and my heart faded into your galaxy
when we heard each other
sighing in the trees
lips whispering in the garden
then goodbye
in seawater and grass
did your eyes always burn light
like they do now in my dreams

I see now