eat the other

What would you like? I’d like my money’s worth.

                                    Try explaining a life bundled with episodes of this—

         swallowing mud, swallowing glass, the smell of blood

on the first four knuckles.

                                                     We pull our boots on with both hands

but we can’t punch ourselves awake and all I can do

              is stand on the curb and say Sorry

LET ME GET MY HANDS ON YOUR MAMMARY GLANDS

AND LET ME GET YOUR HEAD ON THE CONJUGAL BED

I SAID I SAID I SAID I —

i praise your soft lips

and i praise your revenge

i praise your tenderness and your skin

and i praise your pure, uncorruptable pain

THIS MISS     MISTRESS    DISTRUST ME     DISGUST    ME    WANTING WOMAN

SLY-SLIPPERY-SNAKEBITE OF A WOMAN        BITE OF A WOMAN    WHO LICKS—

SICK, SUCH A WOMAN (NOT-WIFE)    WILY WHET-THIRST OF A WOMAN

SUMMONING WOMAN           BEAST-LOVING WOMAN            I  MAKE  ME A MAN