and so muffled the sounds
of death and anguish
anguish and slaughter
slaughter and despair

* * *

the guardian engaged in pattern
to expunge from him
dank melancholia

fools lighting candles in hallways,
harlequin alighting on the King's throne

shall I, could we, make a great balloon
of this purple-blue palladium?
and fly away, down past the
salamander skies of evening...

* * *

forsaken lust dwells in pockets
and the mouths of women
so I know that it was
yesterday when the world died
and by tomorrow,
the one fear will have been
destroyed
	or realized

do you remember the day
when we ate
swift sunlit minnows?

---

16 Renford Road (two)
Page 28