Shave a Mouse Inside Me, Ted

---For Willie Z

It’s called Nice To See You
or Fucking Is So Very Lovely

You are called Mouse baby
Trusted Sister Wednesday

Lines not written
Ohio Blue Tip matches
typewriters
and colored pencils

An instance of him
saving a mouse
and it's my 80th birthday

This type of abuse in the capping
live coals walking right into him
how the beard is most important

A little loving can
I cannot re-read what I say

You think of him in cellar
sweating out lines
triangles of dark red
and your heart pinches a bit
and a bit more

then he chugs out a song
without saying
see you later