They left their dog and a record playing,the boy and girl next door. Last night
they argued to music, like they do;
I wallowed in a needle-spawned world,addicted to dope and the crazy life,and yet there I was—in Berkeleyfor my first poetry reading.
They are notimaginary butaccessible onlyintermittently.
It’s taken everything to bring them here: the peaches, grapes, oysters, the goblet of wine, the table & cloth.
The water levelcomes up whenyou throw instones, bricks…
Is it rude to tell men you don’t love them just the idea of them
The mind likes the squeeze of chutes and channels.
Things of my world, thwart, solid, chockablock,That I was wont lightly to wield and dandle,Now, button-bungler, fool of lid, latch, lock,