$3.75

beyond the doubt of a shadow
I rise lower
from my depths
to de-emanate
from little-
to nothing.

The ninety-four/ninety-six season
was especially cruel
where evrything to me in
a manner or too
was taken and stolen

Now I lay meself to sleep
in homes that were not
beds of couches
wrongness blanketed

and no, I cannot sleep
that too
I have been deprived of
myself
or not
to find fault
and blame in
myself
or not
and the slinky ways
of nature

Robbed
(I was robbed)
of my sanity
and security
and not least of all
of my words
that at least
still held
a fraction of loose sanity
and a sickly sense of well-being.

After sundoze
I'd sometimes find myself
dressed darly
in a darly lit room
before others
after Guinesses
sprouting
what others called
dark
what I knew
to be light
and happily
would sometimes find
the eyes
or mouths
of another
words that find beauty in
wrongful diction
and complete
by your standards.

We burden ourselves
inly
with which
is beyond
carrying
forward.

freedom is always
three dollars and seventy-five
cents more
than what you have
in your pocket.

9/96

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