seoull mufflings

she lied and it was.
dusk. we knew
there would be
a few of these,
but
i wasn't told
the lights
would slip in shallow puddles
when the rooms became
empty.

our acts were honest
the seam split across
your face and i used
the fire extinguisher

to put out flames that
were north of us.

i gambled beirut
and pissed myself.

you took my broken hand

spoke something about
my performance to
the GI's

a stage dive

and the night. . .
a canvass
of winter moving

resolved in uncertain
words.

now the distance
of half crumpled papers

from the birds eye
gimlet

a wilted refinery of
merely being.

just a . . .

i was . . .

haven't you . . . . ?

and a
request:

if you see me
puffing my chest out

keeping my own
counsel

with lamps around

run for
your
life.