100nothings

Perhaps your smile will madden me

once more,

they seated themselves at my headboard

Mother Anguish and Amorous Friend,

thrown together by accident, again.

Perhaps the buglecall will madden me

once more,

gunpowder will powder my hair

until I have starved a month below deck.

Perhaps your kiss will madden me

once more:

like the blush of a coy wick,

shivering

until it burns my face.

Though nothing but the wind, the wind disguised as nothing,

trespasses

my lips,

my vain hand wants it.

(Adapted from the Jaroslav Seifert poem 'Stokrat Nic' by Toby Litt and Virginia Little, 1991)