Moth Wings

the circumstance of his birth

had somehow become joined

to the circumstance of his life

raised on cowboys and Indians

when no bigger than a twig

alone on a little mattress

talking to limp cloth animals

explains much of this

chromosome damage no doubt

a chugging tractor discs the soil

a mile away growing unheard

as sleep opens its music box lid

my rapid pulse is transformed

and becomes visible as black spots

which begin to grow together

eyes begin to move independently

floating face up I think they are open

wishing they were lanterns instead of

window panes unable to blink back the view

held open by the weight of two images

the great mound of bones and teeth

scene of rituals unspeakable

sordid affairs and so ordinary

if they tell you there's no describing it

they'd better have a blank expression

victims of gravity searching for a place

where the double war between

the odds and evens has not yet reached

wondering who invented tables and chairs

calendar on the wall brittle and torn

by a window climbing sun

pages flutter like moth wings

whispering parts of speech syllables

a screen door bangs dogs bark

crossing the linoleum a trail of ants

water drips in the sink

a moon rises over mobile homes

drawn in a circle against the dark

red flares line the highway at night

vagrancies outstrip the vacancies

with charlatans on every street corner

in a fervent denial of perception

before the rubble of the holy ziggurat

burnt offerings burnt heretic

having learned how to learn

he began to teach how to teach

on the plan-it planet

finding fresh chewing gum

stuck under the diner counter

when is an idea dead and useless

you'll need to be able to spell dog and cat

From "Pageant of Naked Mischief" available on Amazon