These bindlestiff punks, charting nil,
or sailing by nearly-nil, a chalk-mark
zag or a chalk-mark circle—
hint of a rail-tie where the moon can touch it.
Horde of these beings, regarded as fragile,
but hard tenacious; neckbones, bamboo behind
an esophagus that might ably handle nails.
They take their rest in flooded pails,
they carve at boot-leather and dare
what there is of teeth in their head to try it;
knotting at garlands for sinewy girls,
often ‘til petals are missed—
as girls and shirts are missed upon dawn
in camp.
-2005
