X

X

Against the sneaking black clouds,
the dancing leaves in the distance,

further beyond a bird, indeterminable,
flies, an honest V in the sky, from

blackness to the white to the open
blue. Then trees obstructed my view,

and the bird was gone. Will I see it
ever again? No. Probably not.

Then I rest my face in my hands,
and cry. And cry. And I cry.

IX

IX

A mental desert—
where people
did not return from death;
where dogs
did not warn you of anything
especially of the morning;
where jesus
did not do it for you alone;
where space
truly lacks oxygen;
where birds
are just birds and you
are not one of them
no matter how hard you flap;
where you
yourself, are not anything
but a guy- a girl- a muppet.
Dreams ceased
and my heart stopped.

VIII

VIII

Reversed alphabet-
first in line, line
leader, lines in
the bathroom of
a club I can’t
afford to be in.

Reversed alphabet-
know your Z Y X’s.