'So long, everything' he shouted,
then he ran next door to Margot's house.

'I'm moving' he said.

'Where' asked Margot.

'Two weeks away' said Mitchell.

'Where is that' asked Margot.

'It's everywhere I will be after
I walk for two weeks' said Mitchell.
'I have lived in the same place for a
long time. It is time for me to go some
place else.'

'No' said Margot, 'you have only lived
next door for fifteen years.'

'Sixteen' said Mitchell.

'Fifteen, six, what's the difference'
said Margot. 'I want you to stay next
door forever.'

'I can't' said Mitchell. 'I do not want to
go wake up in the same old bedroom and
eat breakfast in the same old kitchen.
Every room in my house is the some old
room because I have been there too long.'

------------

You turn on a spindle,
you’re so much looser now but you’re no
t explaining how you’ve gained such new
repose. I touch the clasp of your locket
with its picture held, some secret you
wouldn’t tell but let it choke your neck.
So we imagine a darkness where all shapes
divide, solids changing into light with a burst
of heat so bright.

Well fine don’t you do what I want you to,
don’t degrade yourself the way that I do
because you don’t depend upon all the shit
that I use to make my moods improve.

------------

'And you look at me and think 'same old
face, same old tail, same old scale, same
old walk, same old talk' said Margot.

'No' said Mitchell, 'I like your face, tail,
scale, walk and talk.'

'I like you.'

'I like you too, said Mitchell. He walked
to the door. 'I must pack' he said.

------------

Near a sea of pianos, there were waves
of chords that crashed against the
shore in one huge and useless roar.
And there were girls bringing water,
like a dream they came to cool the
fever of my brain and soothe my
burning throat. And they made me a
necklace, hanging beads of sweat on a
string of my regrets and placed it
round my neck.

They were singing don’t you do what
you’ve wanted to, don’t destroy yourself
like those cowards do. Maybe the sun
keeps coming up because it’s gotten
used to you and your constant need for proof.