"I
CRUSHED MY BABY"
IN
THE VERNAL WOOD
YOUR
BLOODY LEGS
COVERED
WITH ARMOUR
YOUR
INVISIBLE FACE
LIKE
ANN BOLINS
SNAPPING
UNDER MOSS
THERE
GOES YOUR FIRST SON
WITH
A BOWL OF MEAT
AND
A SPOON
AND
THERE'S REBEKAH
PRESSING
THE EMPTY
PITCHER
TO HER BOSOM
SHE
WANTS YOUR BLESSING
FOR
THE SON SHE NOW PREFERS
HER
FAVORITE QUILT
WHO
INVITED THE HEADLESS QUEEN
ON
A STARRY NIGHT
WHEN
MY MOUTH IS FULL OF PUMPKIN SEEDS
SAYING
"BOW WOW WOW".
CUTTING
A DOLL
HORSING
A BONE
GROWING
A EAR
BOOZING
A FEAR
SCRATCHING
THE MOON
CRACKING
A LOON
BEARING
A TAIL
FINGER
A NAIL
IN
A HOLLOW TREE
CRUSHED
MY BABY
IN
A HOLLOW TREE
I
CRUSHED MY BABY
YOUR
TREMBLING HANDS
GROPING
FOR
THE FLESHY MOORWOMEN
IN
A HOLLOW TREE
SHE
HANDS YOU A TOMATO
YOU
SQUEEZE IT FIERCELY
THEN
PULL OUT YOUR HAND
DRIPPING,
MOANING
"I
CRUSHED HER,
I
CRUSHED BABY"
ONCE
I HAD A PEPPER
THAT
LEFT ME JUMPING
CHRIST,
WHY DO WE SUFFER?
CHRIST,
WHY DID I CRUSH HER?
IN
A HOLLOW TREE
CRUSHED
MY BABY
IN
A HOLLOW TREE
I
CRUSHED MY BABY
©1999,
Michael Zugin