Kingdom

Painting by Jill Somoza

Kingdom


Maybe we are like the ants,
living in our towns and cities
under a more fluid
blanket,
and the sounds our mouths shape
are our
olfactory stimulations.
Otherwise, explain
my cousin in New Jersey.
Explain my guilty
murderer’s dream.
Or why on this cold, wet,
October morning I feel so
lucky,
want so much to rub against
every body. Yes, I know
about biology,
am, in fact, grateful
to be manipulated
by such deft hands.
Male and female,
young and old, mass
and energy. The sun
comes up,
the lamps go down,
and a cat
appears at your back door
wanting food and petting,
fur
covering all of his face,
but, otherwise, very much
another you.

Copyright © 2004 Joseph Somoza