***
The end fell long ago
What is left
What’s felt
From clusters of emoted thoughts
Your go-go
Your neglected theft
The tear, the eternal fragile naugh-
Ty doll behind the safety glass
What makes you cry into the starless night?
The light of snow
And the twitching fuss
Whatever happens that could be so right
Whatever happens that could feel so wrong
Stops the delusion of the destined break
And bend, and vent and lent and time to crawl
The wall will stay
Another time to fake
Too fake
Too useless
Would be no good
It’s understood
It is, but not your pride
Explore the place in closed neighbourhood
And take another ticket for a ride
And take another ticket where the death
Waits at the funeral of your diluted youth
Your middle age, princess,
Jeunesse, obsessed,
Obese,
Obsession with the possessed illusions
Of the promise of the spring
In the November
Of your failed attempts
The string, the sting, the ring, the rink, the ink,
Pale Thames.