it’s either a fire or a false alarm
either a flash flood or showerhead
it’s a black velvet band or death metal collar
an oil peak or a lone star ranger
it’s a hot-air balloon or a raft of dead jellyfish
the trail of crumbs or the toasted sandwich
it’s the green flash or black spot
the hook or the parrot
the gavotte or the pogo
the marque or the logo
the belt-tightened airway
the snitch in the beltway
hold or sell
kiss or tell
stare or blink
hood or wink —
then
it’s
my air-guitar
your whammy-bar
8my shell-less crab
your snatch and grab
I gargle you
you hector me
I pluck your carcass
tenderly
you stitch me up
I dress you down
you hook my eye
unpick my gown
you stuff me with horsehair
upholster my armchair
I censor your letters
then tip off your betters
now you’ve puzzled my bruise
and I’ve tripped in your shoes
to the beat or the moon
the cow or the tune
so we split down the middle
my dish trumps your fiddle
we’re glued then we’re broken
all’s said and
unspoken