A Distant Planet -tanka sequence

A Distant Planet

"and there, beside

The thundering waterfall of his heart,

I rubbed my eyes and thought, “I’m lost."”

                                                Rafael Campo

I said,

it's like lifting a cello

out of its case—

"but what do I know

of love's lonely offices"*

he said,

I'm Positive,

so I chanted

the painted shaman's

sweaty curse

I'd look

inside his throat

to see the misery

of the world, he'd spot

his cock and think of sin

~~~~
* Robert Hayden