compartment museum

there are infinite compartments
and y'all can have em
but they ain't going in my head

as anything but a framed picture
of compartments 
comely, ideally
to observe til digested
and step softly from

through the glide of the revolving door
out into the buzz and breeze
museums are stuffy

chasing tail

maybe you fear me cause i'm a predator 

you smell my hunt

and you're unaccustomed 

but don't fear

i'm not a predator of prey

more a predator of prayer 

hunting the sacred

but good god

there are so many false tracks 

and turns out the ones i'm after

are right behind me

and i'm just chasing my tail

price of poetry

what's that dylan rimbaud thing?
the deliberate derangement of the senses 
while handy for learning the universe song
it will destroy your interpersonal relationships 
and any chance of gainful employment
and there's the rub

a hat from snock

i finally earned my hat today 
in michael hurley's cosmic chelsea
ironically i guess
being a year back from texas

but, no, it's fitting
i'm snock's kind of cowboy
tickled by cartoons of wolves in saloons
choked up by the different hues
and ready to tip this hat 
to any and all who come in peace

next sunday bath

i was serious about life in a bath half full 
any muscles not in use, at rest
the breath shallow and steady 
the thoughts that aren't right thoughts
dissipate like steam
anywhere i lay my head is home
and anywhere i lay my head is cool porcelain 

talisman

i put your book in my bag 
when i went into the vice-soaked night
in search of the inexplicable 
knowing i wouldn't read it
more as a talisman

because this morning your words 
glowed like burning coals 
the fire of intention as you say

or rather, as i returned home to dress 
to don my vice suit 
i thought about the talisman 
and it led me on
my safety assured 

refrigeration

i'm on a pretty sharp range lately
been wearing my skin like iron
but my breath's as soft as vaseline 
and my heart is like my favorite kind of pear
tender to the touch and pregnant with juices 
my work is to walk through life with this heart
maintaining the proper temperature 
so it don't rot 

but everything does
guess you gotta just eat it while it's prime
then wait til next season 

magic

all that can be known
is all that can be seen

toddlers get it
i cover my eyes and you disappear 

maybe the fat man was right 
we're perfect from birth 

the years put scars on our skin 
tie tangles in our brain 
cut the ropes to all the souls
especially our own
convince us we never disappear

i think we owe ourselves 
a little innocent magic