Medicinal
for Elizabeth Clarke

must cross the bridge back
to a full supply of energy
after masturbating divinely
left feeling listless, feeling guilty

under the weather the other day
discovered sorace as if for the first time

never thought to pick it, wash it, chew it
bypassing boiling, adding sour and salt

want now to do this every day of the week
when I’m strong and when I’m weak
whether I'm ill or well, have this like meat

like men about town have Guinness
against sickness, fears, doubts

or just to have a bottle to fling, to fight with

chew sorace like tobacco or snuff
spit out what, if I were goat or sheep
a herbivore, I’d have swallowed

spit out what the appendix digests
like man’s
mine's shrunk to near nonexistent


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
9:07 p.m. 11.10.09