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i hear a stream

i hear a stream  
              must be 5 am
                 birds bitching over the first worm
                    been eating sardine for 2 hours
                       ‘til it stuck in my throat 
              
              remember
                 when i first touched beautiful’s 
                    pink wicked lips
                       she burned incense & faced mecca
                          said she loved arab meat
                            
              i adore worldly stuff
                 don’t you know 
                    she smiled crooked 
                       a nasty grin
                          i swallowed her brown nipples 
                             black olives 
                                & kissed her again
                 
              you’re a salty fellow aren’t you
                 she pushed me away 
                    i flicked my tongue
                       rose on my tiptoes 
                          expanded & swayed                
                             bled desire through my eyes                 
                                i was horn toad
                                   & she danced on the sharp tips   
                                      of my prehistoric horns
              
              my lips hurt 
                 you know
                    they ache 
                       she scratched her crotch
                          a smoke signal
                             dispersed too quickly 
                                couldn’t read it.
              
              (they say
                 when the knowing comes
                    brace yourself 
                       ‘til you enter the dark place 
                          where sorrow is too great for tears)
              
              almost ran off  the overpass 
                 on the way home
                    crushed the front right side 
                       of my old ram
                          sat by the roadside   
                             & watched                 
                                the tail of a lizard 
                                  wondered 
                                     if it was my spirit
                                        frantic to escape

              must be 5a.m.
                 down the dark ally 
                    between titsworth & seminary
                       old man jesus 
                          drags his aluminum cans 
                             somewhere                     
                                i hear a stream 
                                   but it could be fire

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