An Imperialist Gets a Fever

2nd July 1888

I see the black boys dancing through the window
like clay toys or children's dolls
jumping about like grasshoppers.
Sugar beets are on the table
The nurse prays for me hourly.

There are creatures here no man should approach.
One I saw the other day, the size of my very fist,
it scuttled off from a leaf into the foetid undergrowth.
   God protect our people from that thing.

It occurs to me now that all truths are equal
and equally pregnant to doubt.
Two plus two is four.
A square has four equal sides.
A jug of wine is by the window sill, the natives make powerful stuff.
    My hands are starting to tremble.
I have asked for milk.
Now I -
   I cannot be bothered

Rain        Again
Sounds on animals,
not ones I know
All lines are of equal length

They put me in a canoe
I think I was awake
  the man in front ate flowers,
two or three or four

I remembered a house burning down

blinking eyes

                my hands grow dry in the river


I saw dear Anabelle
Lady of Grace
from before my life got here
and before I became what I am