THE OFFICE

for Jesse Seldess

What might
be overheard
in the lover’s
heavy sleeping head
to think one pore
is as open now
as any orifice’s yawn
could easily be a song
snug in a starry cleft
I opened all of my parts
until there was everything to fold
like a sweet twitching flag
snug in a starry cleft
I felt the office
of my lover’s salute
an old song
they sing on
old holidays
I open
my lover’s head
to tug there
the gem of recognition
that is my office
or at least it’s said
to face a difficult fire
one needs force of requisite desire
but it’s not like that anymore
the breeze leaches so many
unused words from the dumb
hollow of my cheek
I can’t even speak
or in doing
find curious boats
scraping anchor
all alone
yet all together
in my gut’s
heavy acid hallway
is just to say
this is my office
my one charge and regret
that I never once laughed
hard enough to set things right
all night all night all night