not this mind can even dredge up—
that extremely dead to the world
that even jagged blades cannot me goad
that even unsolicited rally round is narcissistic
i have that concord which no one can perturb
even katharina’s smidgen ostensibly needless
it is my nightmare and battle
those of my whimpering and whining
those undisturbed men and women
have them unhinged, perhaps sidetracked
nevertheless my nature to the world
they cannot peter out
i cannot kill the dream
i cannot entangle the trance
2011
chester maynes 