Shiny grass. Smell the
noun’s shadow. Write

down: “I’m the grave
miscreant,” “Water that

cleans/, flowers that clean
as I go.” Hell’s pronoun.

Mother, each waiting,
for the other queen’s

brilliance, and I love
such queenly

brilliance. Drag, “St.
Michael slay that

old demon,” yet all
my brothers walk through

you, monstrous and
gay. Let us speak,

guest front and fast,
sweat out words,

untruthful land like day
like dew. There is no

beginning. Just this: cloth
burns, oil burns, kisses

burn. Dream of me. Canto
and love. We twist spliffs.

My lover, Zulu and
ghost. Braided and …

her coffin: irons
coppers and

“flowers that
clean as I go.”

][][

Shiny grass. Smell the noun’s shadow. Write down:
“I’m the grave miscreant,” “Water that cleans/,

flowers that clean as I go.” Hell’s pronoun.
Mother, each waiting, for the other queen’s

brilliance, and I love such queenly brilliance.
Drag, “St. Michael slay that old demon,” yet

all my brothers walk through you, monstrous
and gay. Let us speak, guest front and fast, sweat

out words, untruthful land like day like dew.
There is no beginning. Just this: cloth burns,

oil burns, kisses burn. Dream of me. Canto
and love. We twist spliffs. My lover, Zulu

and ghost. Braided and … her coffin: irons
coppers and “flowers that clean as I go.”