12

It seemed so simple /
reason analept.
I saw I conquered, came
and went somewhat insane.

If you were more
and I were less,
if souls had boxes,
brains had
other brains
and afterthoughts to cushion them.

I might be man enough
to do with less
(and not the heart, the legs, the
kidney, liver spots /
the pipe stem probing well-formed moistened
Spanish moss for mustache, loss

or any other hothouse orchid missing).
Me, I spend my evenings kissing
pickled hocks.