the eager man always
officiates
over the corpses littering
the bridal highway
lightening his heavenly load
burdening the young woman
who sees the magazine stand
urges herself to
abstain
from the musical notes
pressed so hard against
her solarplexus
that its breathing becomes her own
and the hot sweeping air
of its mouth
envelopes her head
blushing rosily
all the sullen correspondence
washing through every psychological particular
and rescuing her lavender body
from the dryer heap of history
she speaks in tongues
all the languages a body
is afforded by knowledge and keen
instinct
she will not
die