natural history

1.

 

I was a real dog

naked and snarling by the river

everyone loved it

they were in love

with me, the dog

 

I don’t remember the name of this river

(do rivers have names)

yes they do

(but are they named by people)

yes they are

 

I was another animal

naked and yowling

by another river

whose name I don’t know

 

there was nobody there

to love it

except the river

whose name I don’t know

 

 

2.

 

I was an ancient man

those were my instructions

I needed exact change

for the bus

but I didn’t know

how any of this shit worked

 

 

3.

 

I returned to my river

I removed all my cloth

I saw a duck floating by

on the current

 

Hey buddy, I said

he just looked at me

 

and said

Good day, sir.

 

 

4.

 

people aren’t people

anymore

now they’re animals

it’s better this way

much friendlier

 

 

5.

 

every day I wait

for breakfast

to reveal itself