REALISM

It was mostly sand
and questions like
what is painting?

It snuck up on you
found you by the post office
hissing “pay attention”

It came first from the workshop
then from the cafeterias
it was angry and addicted to milk

It didn’t like you
it hid most of the time
you found it in wheat fields gnawing on stalks

It smelled good
in truth it smelled very good
and it held my hand when I was scared

It wore glasses
perfectly circular black glasses
it had average-to-poor vision

It rode the bus
actually I think it took the commuter shuttle
actually it mostly walked

It stroked its beard while thinking
it scratched its head while speaking and thinking at the same time
its eyes said “sorry I wasn’t listening”

It was like the moon
because the moon is big and full of holes
it was like the moon that way

It was sort of an alcoholic
it poured red on top of white wine dregs
it was a full blown alcoholic

It identified itself with essays
it identified itself with the essays it wrote
its essays were all about Balzac

It was pure though
at least it was pure
if nothing else it was pure pure pure

It at one time had a job
at one time it had some kids
they live in Los Angeles now