My Eyes Are Wide Open

though too early for you to see quite what I mean,
it's quite too late to leave the world unseen.
though too hot to penetrate the reptile's heart,
it's too cold for me to ply my smiling art.
though too low for me to claim a noble right,
i'm far too peak to bow to shallow might.
though too sophisticated to glow happy moss,
too communally primitive to rule as Fortinbras.
Too sanguine to find quarrel in a straw,
too fiery to submit to wigged, ignoble law.
too African to muffle my midnight moan,
too white to leave it nakedly known.
Too experienced to lay blood trust in words,
too naive to prophecy the election to the birds.
too wise to crucify death as a cancer,
too bloodily lustful to call it an answer.