Today’s Tantalus
—
Spread the ashes of last night’s meal
over the corpse of its conversation.
After-dinner mints won’t freshen the aftertaste.
—
Bitter because I sucked off the sweet
and my tongue touched tart.
Pucker at the thought:
so sour.
—
Too impatient to let her marinate.
Too careless, I was stewing.
There is no recipe,
But I think there’s a little common sense tucked behind the paprika.
—
I hunger. I thirst.
—
Unwilling to swim to the next tree,
avoid unknown waters.
But long draughts of imagination have yet to satisfy.