Whereward

1. Apparition

Yet I beheld one pristine face where thousand were
    a throng of passers-by
That face, inscrutable, and I, aware to have
    it made up by myself
For it demands its share of wit to single out
    your pearl amid the beads.

While beauty may refuse to hitch up with dubious wit
    wit has to marry beauty
Bound and tied not by a fickle wedlock but
    spiritual commitment
That declares: Thou dost not need me, so be seized
    by force and violence.

I thus beastly embraced and ravished all of this
    calm countenance
Once dragged under a skull, ripped off its veil
    to immerse it into wit –
As if that were at stake when love defiles her face
    in spurting solitude.


2. Tumor Scan

Good news, so that

_______________ distress

_____________ _________could

____________________________melt away.

To get these news some test had to been made
A limpish thing unveiled and then inspected
Its little roll of skin withdrawn to check
If underneath there came some tumescence.

This flaccid thing with careful ruthlessness
Manipulated and no swelling bared
All keeping still, wrinkles and flab, the sheen
Of one mild knob that won’t degenerate –

Old age, I guess.
______________And thus good news ahead.
Where nothing frets, distress is on the skids
And once it’s dead, life may begin again.


July 12, 2017