r E t u R n t O i m a G E r y

r E t u R n  t O  i m a G E r y

( eArLieR & LaTer ) 

eArLieR –
                  wHiLe mY sOcks LiE doWn anD diE qUiETLy ,
                  yoU mUSe dEeP 
                  oN thE doInG oF iT aLL .
                  a SharP reAsoN fluTTers arOunD
                  bUt neVeR LanDs uPoN
                  yoUr sPinE-LiKe NosE .

                  sTiCKish frAmes enTwinE
                  aNd draWINg genTLy 
                  intO tHat beArDed CavErn whERE stORm-cLouDs bUrsT ,
                  anD a StrAnGer maY sEEk reFUgE .

                  - anD diD thOSe fEEt
                  ObserVe tHiS stOry
                  froM thEiR miLe-HigH poSitioNinG ?
                  cAn saiNtLY cLiPPings emaNatE fRoM thEsE toEs ?
                  whY mE ?

                  whEn thE chaTTerinG enDs ,
                  anD thE shaTTerinG beGiNs ;
                  thE cOverS bLoW
                  anD theRe iS aLwaYs soMeTHinG wrOnG witH thE LiGhtS .

LaTeR –
                  thE maGNeTo froM spoLeTo
                  hAs dePArteD ...
                  suCCeSSivE LaYERs oF deBriS
                  beAr wiTneSS tO thE meSS ,
                  thAt LaY bLeeDinG iN thE naMe oF LovE .
                  iN thE MidsT oF dEAth wE aRe iN LiFe –
                  generaLLy franCO’s wiFe
                  Laid doWn anD drAnK mE
                  froM hEr LaP .

                  nO i caN’t 
                  giVe yOu thAt whAt yoU nEEd , nosFERatA ,
                  i can’T hatE YoU oR LovE yOu noW –
                  a miLLiOn muNICH miLeS aWAy anD hOw
                  - yoUr feNDeR
                  - mY geNDeR ,
                  moRe LikE souVeniRs thAn giFTs mY deAr ;
                  spREaD-eaGLE-TaLoN-cOntEsT .

                  anD nOw aLL quiET oN thE veSTeRN FroNt ,
                  saVe foR thE enDLeSS coStLY atOmS zOOminG
                  froM thE raDiO –
                  yoU haVe fLoWn aWaY aLonE
                  i PraY ;
                  miSSinG mouRNinG miSerAbLe ;
                  29 ¾ anD stiLL swiGGinG poRTeR –
                  thE mouNTaiNs oN thE inSiDe
                  shOW nO siGn oF erOdiNg ,
                  thE BodY ouTsiDe iS coRRodiNG ...
                  eTerNaL roaDinG
                  seARchiNG sEEkinG wEEpinG
                  anD mUNchinG unwANteD wHitEbaiT .  
                   
                  thE wAy thE wAy thE wAy
                  i StiLL-kEEpinG sEEhEAR yoU iN thESe smaLL tiMes
                  oR triVIALitiEs , baSiLicO fanTAStiCo ,
                  yoU hiDe a DanGerOuS faCe iN yoUr puRSe buT
                  wE hAd a baTH toGethEr ,
                  wE hAd thE LauGh toGethEr –
                  wE talKeD , oF couRSe , abOUt thE weATher ,
                  anD nOw ?
                  i’m breaThLeSS ;
                  a stOrM bleW iN frOm thE cOntinENt , agAin ,
                  anD thEn LeFT mE aLoNe onCe mOrE
                  wiTh thiS faMouS stINging enGLisH rAin .