a pretense of self respect
a pretense of self respect
the virus
you are drapes on bone 1
but the material is a chinese king’s silk, 2
the finest silt of the mississippi 3
and the new generation of kevlar. 4
you are the perfected scarecrow, 5
your evolution complete, remarkable. 6
–straw doll to mannequin to you– 7
your hand comes up and you turn away 8
but the idea is now in your skull, 9
the pretense now carries 10
a small but healthy colony of this disease. 11
26.12.95
