Ameriscopia

Under Venus’s Hair

66 Under Venus’s Hair I was told about the elephant and his million hands By a mouse on the streets of Ave. A In the falafel shop that sells veggie burgers And vegan water a hole-in-the-wall with incense And cranberry waffles I was told Over a bowl of carrot-ginger soup that the mouse Never sleeps afraid of being taken By one of the elephant’s million hands whose trunk Was a dispatched stretch of road along America’s highway Whose wrinkled skin made mine much cleaner Who changed shape in mid-sleep over an herbal tonic And muffalatta stew on 7th Street & A Where the 20-Something grit greets the morning rush With an all-night fix the mouse without a voice told me She was scared of sleeping and would I visit her dreamlife to help Would I have room inside for an elephant’s million wrinkles Could I sweep away a corner in my dreamlife To make room for a second of a highway’s burnout over decaf Soy cheese and hummus napkins could I give her mouse world Another chance without talking she said this as I saw In her one good eye a million reflections gently growing hands On my way to work ...