CIVIC POEM

The poet, not as priest, but lover

The novelist, not as druid, but drunk

and shaking off careerist rust

but almost constantly shaking

and therefore displeased

but not completely displeasured

and, yes, health concerns

but no, not concerned

and they are tired of lessons

but the poets are pictograph sick

and how you get back from that fissure

but why you won’t come

and the fissure divides the priests from the lovers

but the druids and the drunks mix implicit

and for some reason you like it in winter

but the adverbs returning

and the full rash

but the half-life left

and the votive, the semaphore

but the shrinking ex voto

and you know where to find you

but you hate civic poems