five

Ben Jonson is your silverback
                                         you dropped his hand between
space of negotiation
                            it lay chopped
                                                             he came back
around to kiss your hand
                              three times
                                                when you thought he’d gone for good
before / the first time / but this time
                                                he says this time
                                                                   is the time he has
to really go and aren’t you
                                  going to go too /

                      says the subject
                                             of flesh as life
                                                                 is too broad
you laugh and drop your
                            hand
                                  shrug Ben
                                                Jonson off


he is convinced thatifhe walks youwillfollow on knuckles away to the promise ofthen.
a way youfollow drumof lungs. hedoesnot notice the troop leader’s handdiscarded. on
the floor. your hand ishis with threetimesa charm. dropped. you wonder what subject
wouldbe narrowor fit right along. band. the blackpaw is an amulet youride bareback
and bridle-less with. reins are a main but you donnot want to direct. the hand does that
instead. thisisan outlawstunt. thisisthe run of secondhands that keepsecret what
youdidnotfilltheirspacebetween with. youare notlate youare absent and havenot yet
beguntoend.