A short list of people
who were never born,
not conceived,
not thought up,
until now not even fictional.
Romulus Baird
Laurel Frankenstar
Bertram Bacardus
Willy Simgrip
Ivor Pollingham
Missy Darman
Hans Harlow
Renee Tussore
Tuzla Niderstill
Rosa Effel
They will never pay taxes
nor will they pay attention,
nor will they thrill to the soft sexual
slide of penetration.
They will feel neither gypped nor joyful.
They will not eat fruit – citrus
nor bite a firm nut – almond
nor eat the flesh of cows.
They will not feel
disgust nor mistrust nor dark sorrow
nor boredom for that matter.
Notice the empty chairs in restaurants ,
empty cars,
empty seats on buses,
empty grocery lines.
Those not present might be one of them.
They are very near you
all around surrounding
like spoiled angels
begging to be let in.
Do not let them in.
Thank them for not being.
Tell them you will live
with twofold intensity .
1996