32. “The poet fears mental institutions”

The poet fears mental institutions
will risk getting soaking wet to escape
familiar problems he leaves absolutely open
future scholars delight

Fellow poets are winnowed into nothing
refusal is fun – we’re all
starting to realise
how laughter will let us now go

Children in the coffeebar – take it
over & over again
they learn slowly but inexorably
their language just unpredictable & cruel

Dreams deny desire
solved in the land of the imaginary
sibilance strutting suddenly in peacock colours
be delicious, OK, then much more real