Starving

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.

There is no happiness like mine.

I have been eating poetry.

- Mark Strand

I'm starving!

Dickinson--

In the name of your Bee--

Your Butterfly--

And your Breeze--

Feed me!

I'll need utensils, Mr. Simic:

a bird's foot, straight from hell,

if you please.

Ezra, oh learned sir,

I'll order 300 Chinese characters,

with a dash of Latin,

topped with Greek...

...on second thought,

that would be much too much even for me.

I'd rather dine in Sylvia's kitchen.

Unfortunately (with all due respect),

There's not much cooking there that I can eat.

I know! I'll have some of Grandfather Whitman.

Let me suck thy long, pale locomotive so that I can lick my lips, fully pleased!