Pale Too (early 1990's)

To discover my face
through ripples and over
shadows of water lilies
and fresh water algae
might add lustre
to this pale visage

The mud squeezing between
my fingers and soiling my knees
and my neck cranes out so
the lapping body won't lick
my hands yet I can catch
a glimpse of myself, wavering
and intransient, shifting
and rolling with the wind

Three dimensions needs three dimensions
The polished surface of the glass
cannot ripple, cannot shift,
can only flatten and distort
and leaves us trapped
in a cage of comb's teeth
and skin products designed
to add lustre to these
pale visages without giving
them any depth

Spandle with the stran
and tark the sprat

Put yourself in the dirt for
you haven't played the game
if your uniform is clean