insomnia

have you ever been in a room
on top of 32 people sleeping
on the floors below ,
only you are not sleeping ,
you are listening to the engines
and horns that never stop ,
you are thinking of minotaurs ,
you are thinking of Segovia
who practices 5 hours a day
or the graves
that need no practice ,
and your feet twist in the sheets
and you lookd down at a hand
that could easily belong to a man
of 80 , and you
are on top of 32 people sleeping
and you know that most of them
will awaken
to yawn and eat and empty trash ,
perhaps defecate ,
but right now they are yours ,
riding your minotaurs
breathing fiery hailstones of song ,
or mushroom breathing :
skulls flat as coffins ,
all lovers parted ,
and you rise and light a cigarette ,
evidently ,
still alive.


p 198