his drug his ink first flowed aided by whiskey,
a high-fire mind punted wide brown-belly drunk
into hospitals, Brass Rail blackout fun: no
loss, no cork to stopper his munificent
dreams', spry splayed forms on pages, pockets

of this bard sang oily night, perchance to coddle
his loved, cracked and shuttered their bones
repleted permanence and imperfect in
poesy, roared & whined and bulled the tough-years,
even "when it is no use, none," his chin grinned
the peppery antipodes--farce and death,

in whose mouth he fed elegies
and grievances by the passing, many friends:
Delmore, Jarrell, Bhain, Roethke, Thomas--
colluding God & demons to throes and harping
lamented, "Repent!" at his feet shadows played
dancing his blue mind kicked sullen, tired.

chase to burning. chase, live. to die. grieve no more.