As If You'd Added to Your Flesh

once the electronic is looking for you
camels are no longer imaginary

everyone agrees    broken pieces of detectives
are traded at pawnshops

as if you'd added to your flesh
as if you'd added

get it back
four months and twenty days
you made languages about

brush away the crusty lining
you warm to the mice

under her consciousness you have civilization
under the fingernails

under her consciousness you have fingernails
like civilization

under her civilization you have flesh
like consciousness

from The Troubles (1993)