This Vision

otherwise the egg was broken
he set out in a three-wheeled cart for the sunrise
rocks rolled out of his shoulders
and his gaze fell on the snakes coming out of his ears
stop here
this vision is being sold to you
on some level a structure i've learned
in thirty years of writing poetry
it isn't easy giving you this half lie
all you do is open your head and use your skill
and people think you're honest
what lies do guys tell themselves
when they're trying to sell their services to some deity?
is it worth    the fear of soul death
to afterwards    ask
if there was truth in the transaction at all?
does a beggar    care    in cairo
if he looks pathetic in front of you?
the door opened the light shrieked the horse grew two legs
and a guitar rumbled in his lungs
a giant mouth appeared on his bedroom ceiling
he prayed
rivers rose in his words
none of them impressed him as bullshit
he thought only of dreams
and of morning
outside it was dark

from Purgatorial (2004)