Decline

 naked along the side of the house,
8 a.
m.
, spreading sesame seed oil
over my body, Jesus, have I come
to this?
I once battled in dark alleys for a
laugh.

now I'm not laughing.

I splash myself with oil and wonder,
how many years do you want?
how many days?
my blood is soiled and a dark
angel sits in my brain.

things are made of something and
go to nothing.

I understand the fall of cities, of
nations.

a small plane passes overhead.

I look upward as if it made sense to
look upward.

it's true, the sky has rotted:
it won't be long for any of
us.
 
from The Olympia Review - 1994

Biography | Poems | Best Poems | Short Poems | Quotes | Email Poem |

Poems are below...