1991-95

no words in my head
no music in my head
only
white lace
in my head, only
white satin
in my head
I’ll look beautiful, as Michelle
said
but there’ll be no words
in my head

no pen in my hands
no guitar in my hands
only
credit cards
in my hands, only
chequebooks
in my hands
to pay for all these strange
demands
And still no pen
in my hands.

all Love in my heart
all Future in my heart
no
quiet doubts
in my heart, and no
pale angst
in my heart
I walk to yet another
start
with no words
in my heart.

voice, your
voice, coming through,
music, eating me alive

body, my
veins are dancing,
hands are shaking,
eyes are waiting,
always

You cliche. Floating seraph, you
dying nova, wild bright thing, you
embodied voice, you
astral beast, you
magic mentor, you
Sad preacher, homecoming queen,
enduring meteor, pink contradiction, silver star

you everything, everything

(First published in WordThirst)

Follow me, my friend.
There’s a place only I know about.
Let me show you, my friend. These are my
diamonds.
And this is a skin
I shed years ago.
Look! my friend, here is my wardrobe.
Here are my many hats.
Here are my ornaments, my unnecessary
fripperies.
And these are my children!
Some are dead.
These are my lovers, and would-be lovers.
This is my old guitar
and this is my new guitar.

Now, if you want, my friend, I will follow you
to the place only you know about.
You don’t hint at it, but I know
it exists.
I’d like to see it. I think
you can trust me.
But if you want to close off a room or two
I’ll understand.