…finish my thoughts
this foreign exchange trailing aimlessly off in the awkward silence
you do it so well in the form of a question
why do i bother to open my big mouth
which only gets me into trouble
aware of the problem i fail to remedy
–again cutting myself at the knees
after shooting myself in the foot–
still i erect hollow nonuments
grand and baroque w/ no visible means of support
what i have to say struggling for words
to explain away difficult subjects
that cast me in less than favorable light
drawing circles that never complete
in disappearing ink
nixon’s moist brow
clearing my throat lined w/ cotton
can’t breathe this weakness of mine
far stronger than myself
paralyzed w/ a tongue rendered immobile
a checkered history
of lies, ½-truths, wild stories,
omissions, and broken promises, promises, promises
–great and small–
caught up to me
a pitiful hairy beast
this sq-root of a man mired in tar
whose mad flailing just compounds the problem
sinking deeper but can’t think of a better way
to resist being swallowed whole
as panic overwhelms
a more rational mind
fearing no impending doom would say
might as well give up
before i begin…