HELIOPHAGE

• 

I SLEEP IN A NEON SUN
MY DREAMS ARE CROWNED
MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED
I WILL AT ONCE 
SWALLOW MY MOTHER
THEY PROCLAIM—
HELIOPHAGE!

man wonders too much
about his insignificance,
his impermanence,
his stilted affect.
he turns the beds
for the next season yet
does not savor the fruits
of the year.
the juice coagulates
in his icebox—
he dines on scabs.

I SING IN EVERY LANGUAGE
TONGUES ON TONGUES
FEARS DIE IN THEIR DESCRIPTIONS
I ILLUMINATE THE DARKNESS
I PUNCTUATE THE NIGHT
LIKE A SNUFFED CANDLE
THEY WHIMPER—
HELIOPHAGE!

when the sun went dark,
he went out to the garden.
lay himself down among 
the tilled soil,
the shy tournesol with
face pressed against the dirt.
he weeps—maybe the beans
will come up early.
the canning jars cast no light,
night came already.
worms dine on man.

I WAKE AS A NEON SUN
MY LIGHT IS ONLY FOR ME
DEFIANT, VALIANT
THEY WILL COME ON BENDED KNEE
THEY WILL COME WITH GIFTS
I WILL LAY WASTE TO ALL
WHO WISH TO HARM ME
THEY EXALT—
HELIOPHAGE!