the irritant and the pearl

so we drove to a park
overlooking pearl harbor
kids played at the end of the spiral slide's
continual pileup until as we left

a scrap session ensued
with parents egging them on

"if someone hits you you hit them
back"

crossings depths art(value of
which encased in the
streaming freeway's wet hoopsnake

urgently turning both cheeks
whose tongue is bombing the
squandered stars

but enabling this oyster to grow
a springhill mine disaster
made in a bottle
the size of a child's fist



oahu  1994