Ask Yourself Expert (poem)
Ask Yourself Expert
Ask anyone who knew you
then were you the mildewed sponge retentive
of cultured damp ask yourself expert
on passing bucks pop-psych books
you liked the idea of being in touch, liked touching
on subjects au courant liked the bodies
mangled for rockets in The Right Stuff
liked swinging graceless but not locked
as now your limbs’ tabetic walk
winds prophecy backwards
to your high school clique
they didn’t go there in those days
but you did
liked sending out for things delivered
playing host at parties given
by business friends consumed
rhino tusk and tiger gland attained
the will and secret strength of kings
or demi-godly potentates
found a doctor who let this be
took his fee, permitted doubt wrote
down for you rare it is, strict odds on your side
and what is possible and what is not said
another truth we see the unexplained
for what is mortal is not divine
he shrugs
Ask Yourself Expert
Turtle Island
If Only Others
(2019, Stephanie Foster)