Once when I was miraculous
I too walked the plank
of clouds and snuggled
under the wings of rebel airplanes
but then I found a xylophone
and this xylophone made me happy
being happy I played the
Star-Spangled Banner
until I knew everyone was listening
Admit it I said to the stars
this music is beautiful but
No no said the stars We are math-
ematicians We’d rather die
than hear your music
Well so be it I said and I kept playing
playing new songs
songs with solos songs with
contrapuntal noise
Give up I said to the stars
and the stars were writhing
Can’t you hear this music
is pretty much the best thing
we’ve got going
But there was silence
and in that silence
I waited a very long time
the wind sharpened the air
an airplane flew off in disappointment
I’m sorry I yelled out to them
this xylophone means nothing
to me It’s just something to do
But already I could see the stars leaping
plummeting from their ledges
extinguishing in the deep
and silent wet void
And the clouds just floated onward
full-sail and empty
like cloud-ships
missing their families