Tango.To refuse

thedance of

patriarchy,we dance

thedance of

patriarchy.Tango. A mess

ofheels, suit up

jackets,deliberate

black.We (Tango.)

skirt& slip.

Inpublic, we hold

hands(Tango.), terrorize

thepublic, &  (Tango.) switch

hipslike (Tango.)

strategies,like

tornados,like Eve,

&(Tango.) eyelashes. Our

mothersship gold-

platedwedding cake silver-

ware,unsolicited

adviceon men, linen,

hearts.How to be

mastered.Tango. Our

fathers’voices

remindus of algebra

&seduction. Entangled,

werefuse to be

(Tango.)lipstick, buckled-down

butch.Strap it

up, tieit down,

figurean eight.

It’s allin the feet,

Tango,love, it’s all in

the tiltof

a wantonfoot, &

sometimesthe mouth, love

sometimesour mouths. Tango.

1.

poemsscribbled blindly

in mygirlfriend’s journal;

the boysfrom Sudan never travel

alone;sky demands

of wind:chime.

2.

I fillmy lover’s side of the bed

withlonging: a remote control,

compositionbooks, green

pens,leaves of sage, lemons,

a halvedmoon.

3.

ladiesin burqa and abaya float

down thestreet. boys ride

bikes incircles, ghosts hover

inbaggage. languid fog & terse

language.trees shed their lasting

leaves.I’ve not been with myself.

4.

threegirls demand more

than thesun, divide light, teach

eachother to jump rope: pluck

waterfrom the sky’s edges, desire.

5.

therunner, a homeless black

cat; aman thumbs my way, winks, &

castratesthe road’s side. I do not

recognizethis white man’s gestures. a blind

man andhis sleepy friend, reluctant

clerks,hurried winds castigate the south.

morereminders of the not familiar.

I do notbelong.

6.

the veryfloors are caffeinated. language

hovers,slips around the neck, digs

in skin,chokes back and vomits

forththe rot that is action.

7.

thisbedroom, overstuffed

as it iswith surrendering,

miniaturedeaths, familiar

urges.an acquiescence,

a rageof wind circles,

knocksagainst the fan’s blades.

the catbacks into the hall.

                                             Itake

Salt

            (Spillit      floor the damage)

Artichoke

            (Peeluntil nothing but heart              examine)

Water

            (Boiluntil vapor touches skin

                                    untilvapor opens pores

                                             untilvapor opens

                                                                                        me)

                                             what

Flesh

            Yes,cursive

script & line

                         pensive   See how this

body bends expands contracts this

Flesh

            Yesit holds

                                    thewhat

                                             Ican get

A bowl

a blender

one desire or two

Busy me with oil  & caress

                                             Ican get

A sieve

& sift through finger’s print

& thigh & knee &

Love

            Ican get any object & lay it

                                                                        out

here  on this kitchen table for you

                                                                        Icount

quarts  pints tablespoons  tea

measure what

            Ican get  all of this

            Ican get  & you  I take