Shine and sleep and hum
and drum your mute fingers on the table.

Say of someone dead
a particular tree they were fond of.

Say of an empire
its contributions to the art of baking.

Secretly sing words
that are not the words to the song.

Wrong the weather
and throw rocks at a sign of the times.

When you leave the body
don’t be afraid to notice how the tongue lolls

from the slack mouth.
We are more than half slouch

and droop and sag.
Love our unbecoming.