Jake's Flea Market

for you i’d want
the early morning still     blackfaced
from the night before
                                   to enter
in through the window     upstage center

the window that’s east faced

or have the sun rise
or have the morning light make
an entrance into the day through that window with layers
of makeup and powder on its face to brighten
the stage 
              
and with rouge and lipstick and eye shadow to give
the pale face of the day some colour

when your only ambition is to pick
up the guitar leaned
against the wall of your years and strum
a melody that makes
you both the piper and the child who follows
the piper out of town     down the invisible path 
to happiness among the summer’s trees i’d want

the hours before noon to enter as
helena who glides
across the stage leaves
light in the wake of her gliding i’d want

them to be a fond and desperate creature who politics
herself into a marriage     with you a marriage     king- compelled
and repulsive so repulsive i’d want

you to escape
the consummation by running to a distant war

i’d want the spotlight of dawn like the orphan cousin to pursue
your flight to the west and in a disguise of holiness politic
herself into your society like a little sister

oh i’d help
the chirping sparrows at their breakfast conspire 
to blind you to what it is you want to love


i’d help the imposter morning take
the time of your one- night stand in an overnight bed  

have you wake
in a belly full of pregnancy

a belly full of fetus

a child in the morning and a daylong commitment

all this i’d do
for one i hate