what you should know to be a poet
all you
can know about animals
as persons. the names of trees and flowers
and weeds. the names of stars and the movements
of planets and the moon. your own six senses,
with a watchful elegant mind. at least
one kind of traditional magic:
divination, astrology, the
book of changes,
the tarot;
dreams.
the illusory demons
and the illusory shining gods.
kiss the ass of the devil and eat shit;
fuck his horny barbed cock, fuck
the hag, and all the celestial
angels and maidens
perfum’d and
golden–
& then
love the human:
wives husbands and friends
children’s games, comic books, bubble-gum,
the weirdness of television and advertising.
work long, dry hours of dull work
swallowed and accepted and
lived with and finally
lovd. exhaustion,
hunger,
rest.
the wild
freedom of the dance, extasy
silent solitary illumination, entasy
real danger. gambles and
the edge of
death.