brick cake

i took off too soon on a broken hip
slipped and landed in
a big stone chain smoking ship
grew my hair out and
captained the S.S. Bob Dylan

i met you still all salty sea legged
walking with my boot soles flapping
more swaggering, actually
because if you wag your cigarette right
you're cold but you're classic

listless, she lit up
filled a cup and lifted
and i loved her in my own lost way
that revealed itself on fridays

i remember falling into the same sweet place
both alright by landing on the other
i remember old books we tucked each other in
and how they were hymnals then.

i saw you coming from a lanky mile
six or seven feet of pidgeon-toed going
" h-he-hello"
something snuck in then
and i felt how my top lip laid on the other.

and i remember how sore my tip-toes were
when you pricked your finger on my back bone
" can you divide endless into three sections ? "
you said to me as you broke the fever forever.

 

maren hoopfer 2007