"The cucumbers are too ripe, lying
like crocodiles on their yellow bellies
under all the green gossiping leaves,
with worms alive in slime beneath,
but birds accuse me from branches
because cats are waiting in windows
full of red setting-sunlight, like
Amsterdam hookers expecting tourists
- although the cats, being animals,
are absolutely innocent - so when
the guests, timid as mice, dare to
approach the castle door and knock,
it slowly opens silently and nobody
is there, nothing but several pools
of liquid lying like pieces of broken
mirror on the floor, undulating, and
when the butler finally does appear,
he looks at their throats and says
nothing."

05/17/2008