when you are thirsty
you drink anything; water, blood,
tears, all of those strange fluids
secret in the body. sliding
from innocence down the line,
down a scale into bass.
when you are thirsty even rain
comes as a blessing; drizzle
wets the skin and collects
on the small hairs, you stand in a downpour
with mouth gaping towards heaven.
But dampness is an eternal frustration,
a promise without fruition. Mud
torments you; aquariums and toilets
taunt without mercy. Everything
speaks to you in the language
of water, the shush and gurgle.
when you are thirsty you might even
drink poison and call the dizziness
relaxation. when you are thirsty
another screwdriver always sounds good.
when you are thirsty desperation
holds you, shakes you, blurs your
vision and plants cravings firmly
in your brain stem. the hideous fruit
comes later, when you've forgotten the seeds.
when you are thirsty
water and vodka are indistinguishable
and neither satisfies.
—4/19/99