Pigeons

Fell asleep near Chattanooga Mary said we'd made good time It turned out I was in Atlanta Where there were only barbs and books to bind Precious as, boyfriends and girlfriends Snowglobes and postcards to save you the trip If nothing else a photograph Pinwheels, pistons, acid tabs Leave a window open for the pigeons to land I would not eat this bird in front of you I would not eat this bird in front of you I would not eat this bird in front of you Writing final Valentine's, bomb's coming soon All I'd like to do is be next to you Refuse to clean the apartment, dragnet corridors Can't die in fresh clothes because the laundry is out of order One of our neighbors wears pungent cologne, stuck in the elevator Rolled a cigarette, a few weeks before Slipped through sweaty fingers, paper torn Missed the dartboard, pierced the trash There's a hole in the top where rain gets in The puncture in the side spewed water colors Dissolved chalk, a rainbow muddled A pigeon passed my aim and pecked at the puddle Letter in his hand, a score to settle I would not eat this bird in front of you I would not eat this bird in front of you I would not eat this bird in front of you Carnies collect me Carnies bring the trailers back into our town The ravens swirled and cawed above Amorphous shape of sound Showers of blood Dripping from their beaks Brittle bones Of field mice snap like pages from ancient tomes Carnies collect me Carnies bring the trailers back into our town Priest cut through the grass like wedding gown Each patient step he shared with sad clowns Oversized shoes beeped like car horns Matching pair sticking out from ' neath the elephant's corpse Carnies collect me Carnies bring the trailers back into our town The day her daughter was to be born Shot with a cannonball and stabbed with a flaming sword Petted her body with pity, curiosity It almost seemed like she was breathing Pigeons, pigeons Erupt from her stomach Spreading her organs across the harsh beams of the sun