A ROLLER COASTER, A HIT, A PINT-SIZED DEVIL MACHINE,
SOME DARK CHOCOLATE
I stole from you a noun
hijacked a verb
I declared I’m mostly female, a peony
in the mouth of spring, too late
I’ve constructed a gorgeous building equal to or better than
any one of Gehry’s, made from my and Lou Reed’s
cross-dressing days Be careful in the large
incarceration space of America be very careful
*****
AFTER-IMAGE
During the scant time between our births me and my brother
Both grandfathers died and one grandmother
came to live with us then three younger sisters
This being the order of external events
Internal ones beyond our grasp
*****
PART STAR, PART VENOM PART BONE, PART MICROPLASTIC
We are greatly swayed in our thinking
by the rabbit sketched on the full moon’s face
Her tattoos are unexpected⎯hundreds of ants climbing up and down
arms and legs
I wondered what trail they are following
I said quietly, the ants are here now They are your friend
Don’t be afraid
of anything