Translations from the Flesh

Unrequited Dialogue by Moonlight

14 Unrequited Dialogue by moonlight You don’t have to believe in Moonlight with its forgeries of frost, its crystals Dripping down the windowpane. But why not Believe in lies, if the world lies Under a spell the truth can’t break, too weak For the white magic of the moon, for the black arts Practiced by tobacco ads and presidents, By Mistress Larissa with her boots and whips? I’m not a moonshine kind of guy myself, Though I’ve driven a dark highway Listening to love songs soak up Dead air from the radio and a stale Dodge. If I turned the decibels down, maybe I could Hear you better, all your arguments against The placebo effect of April, the shade-tree philosophers, An empire decked out like a blind mule In spandex and rhinestones. Would you say that even the false messiahs Can pass a lie detector test? Would you say It’s belief that puts the bullets in the gun? And I’d like to ask you why Fanatics at the barricades brace up their faith On blood like mother’s milk, when more than ever All I want is a dry martini so tall I’d have to Stand on tiptoe to sip it, with an olive Big as a pod from The Body Snatchers. I’d like a few answers that would Make the missionaries trade in their Bibles For a jukebox and a sharkskin suit; that would Convince me to walk this earth In the only serious position, on all fours, Like a hound sniffing out the backside of paradise. 15 I’d like to get a little testy and felonious— But far off, in your time zone, it’s Always half past silence, And that’s way too late to call. ...