To Velcro: Two Sides, and: Greshniki (''Sinners'')

To Velcro: Two Sides

1.

Friend of the arthritic,athletic, prosthetic:

the ease with whichyou insinuate yourself

is startling.How you appear

on toilet coverswall hangings

wrist watchesthe cuffs of sweats

padded notebooks.How did we manage

our hurry without you?Scrubby paw

in manic hands.Sweet relief

of press and rip.Not like the noiseless, green

ABCs we pressedto school boards as children

2.

Foe of silk,wool and linen,

you have caughtmy scarf in your scrubby paws

for the last time.Cheap impersonator

of the burr.Don't even speak

of the children's shoes.It was hard to tie a bow

and hard was good.Harbinger of sloth,

what more can we lose?Churches know

you are louder than prayer.Passion interruptus-

even underwearmay unfasten

like scratching on a screen.Who will Velcro

but the Band-Aidswe tore from our knees.

What did we care of beauty then?Give us safety

again, give us pocketshatched down for lunch money.

the sun to the night,the bull to its rider,

the roof to this house?Go away.

Let me relish the quietunbuttoning of my blouse.

Greshniki ("Sinners")

St. Petersburg, Russia

Two angels flank this sign-their red marksthem as Satan's, conjures images of pre-fabbrimstone. Inside, a dozen boys lookon, their stances tough and butch-coolextras for the House of Montague, guyswho'd rather kick than kiss an ass. A blondsteps up to groove, a muscled memberof the staff, his gestures slow, affected-the mirror's got his back. The dance floor'slit, lies neglected. No pelvises so tightand tense they could be grinding teeth. No open-mouthedkiss. To which rim of hell would Dantedelegate these men, whose sin is great:to enter the kingdom bereft of heat.