Civic Poem mp3 with soundscape by Ben Spencer

The poet, not as priest, but lover
The novelist, not as druid, but drunk

and shaking off careerist rust
but almost constantly shaking

and therefore displeased
but not completely displeasured

and, yes, health concerns
but no, not concerned

and they are tired of lessons
but the poets are pictograph sick

and how you get back from that fissure
but why you won’t come

and the fissure divides the priests from the lovers
but the druids and the drunks mix implicit

and for some reason you like it in winter
but the adverbs returning

and the full rash
but the half-life left

and the votive, the semaphore
but the shrinking ex voto

and you know where to find you
but you hate civic poems