after Ted Berrigan
Floss my throat
wash my feet then glower
kiss Curtis at 7:30
to shake him
feed Kitty
philosophical tenders
stroll the valley
of dearth to Journal Square
keep faith like a Benedictine
under the Hudson
Work like a yo-yo
nap like a bear
address endless emails
to forgotten writers
jack the meter
to stand tall
drink lust as if
it were spring water
walk through the Mews
when the coast is near
leave my friends and shadows
generous margins for error
From Punks: New & Selected Poems (The Song Cave, 2021) by John Keene. Copyright © 2021 by John Keene. Used with the permission of the publisher.