Burning the Dictionary

Pretending for a moment he knew
the goals of men and gained
protection for the sac of brain
that remains inside his cranial compartment,
perhaps the 151 proof left in the bottle
would be enough for tonight's run.
He wouldn't have to rub his hand along the temple.

Competition, succession, regression, and failure will each strike their own march across the land. The lights might spark past his eyes again. There's always the chance.

Society condemns him to walk the days with a hammer in his hand. Like he works in a beehive. Like he's lost his masculinity and become a drone. While the real buzz is about what was on the rot box. Words like sciolism never had a chance.

Their meaning still with us but their letters are gone.