A Bartable Enya Afternoon

indeed, the whimsy is’t bright
         upon the water                       
             (the bay)

creatures of comfort
creatures of pain
crawl restless under the skin
a lock-jawed bull
ferret of flame & levity
shrimps & weasels 
a badger at the brow

group discontent in 
     the orca pod

having lived & lived, seemingly 
incessantly—the not stopping
     that’s impressive

irredeemable whimsy (again)
a purposeless express of joy
next to a purposeful expression of pain
deep in the guts
a shudder, a growl, hoisting up

fifty years ago there was no 
tunnel tube under the bay
mean to say, even guts are temporary
have lingered out of curiosity
        & stubbornness

cranking out an absurdity 
into a crowd of absurdities
damask rose
chloroform
galadriel 
epistemology

rapturous stinging mystery
strike “life” from every line
replace with mystery