XVI. GROOMING

As in childhood we live sweeping close to the sky and now, what dawn is this.

 

Herakles lies like a piece of torn silk in the heat of the blue saying,

 

Geryon please. The break in his voice

 

made Geryon think for some reason of going into a barn

 

first thing in the morning

 

when sunlight strikes a bale of raw hay still wet from the night.

 

Put your mouth on it Geryon please.

 

Geryon did. It tasted sweet enough. I am learning a lot in this year of my life,

 

thought Geryon. It tasted very young.

 

Geryon felt clear and powerful—not some wounded angel after all

 

but a magnetic person like Matisse

 

or Charlie Parker! Afterwards they lay kissing for a long time then

 

played gorillas. Got hungry.

 

Soon they were sitting in a booth at the Bus Depot waiting for food.

 

They had started to practice

 

their song (“Joy to the World”) when Herakles pulled Geryon’s head

 

into his lap and began grooming

 

for nits. Gorilla grunts mingled with breakfast sounds in the busy room.

 

The waitress arrived

 

holding two plates of eggs. Geryon gazed up at her from under Herakles’ arm.

 

Newlyweds? she said.