Mojave Knew
For Melissa
Still, like the drifting desert sand Mojave knew.
Dull, as the rusting cars there stand, Mojave blued.
Eyes, wide open, tears run.
Wild!
Try. Try. Try. She’s never coming home.
What was I thinking when you were sinking?
(Where was my head? Where were my hands? Where was my heart?)
Traded them in on pieces of tin.
(What did you do? What did you do? What did you do?)
Hold me, heaving, scold me.
Tired, torn, buck-toothed and dead
Break me (I’m tired) take me
This, the end.
Disown me – hostile zone me.
Railroad tie me to my bed.
Break me, desert, shape me.
Break me, desert rape me.
Break me, desertscape.
Mojave knew me then.
Slight, like the scent of Grandville’s ground; Mojave Jew.
Gaunt as the lizard skins we found; Mojave bruised.
Guise an omen: near spanned miles!
Try Try Try. She never got control.
What was I thinking when you were sinking?
(Where was my head? Where were my hands? Where was my heart?)
Traded them in on pieces of tin.
(And what did you do? What did you do? What did you do?)
Hold me, heaving, mold me.
Tired, torn, buck-toothed and dead
Break me (I’m so tired) take me
This, the end.
Disown me – hostile zone me.
Railroad tie me to my bed.
Break me, desert, take me.
Break me, desertscape me.
Break me, desert-raped.
Mojave new me then.
