No Other Guilt

No Other Guilt (11th November 2008, 2.16pm)

Storm water swirls
around my conscience;
I bleed leaves, plastic bags,
flotsam, jetsam: lessons;
I’m beached here, stranded,
a useless fish, gasping
for breath between
wheezes; nothing eases
the weight of this; nothing
ceases the heat or dizziness;
no other guilt is greater
than mine, sitting, grasping
at time; how long the days
seem; I didn’t mean
to be troublesome;
the boat sways me to sleep,
the fire burns bright; yes,
you can keep your voices
quiet; I berate me first;
come, bring lemons, honey;
slake my sandpaper thirst.