Render, Render

　　by Thomas Lux

　　 Boil it down： feet， skin， gristle，

　　 bones， vertebrae， heart muscle， boil

　　 it down， skim， and boil

　　 again， dreams， history， add them and boil

　　 again， boil and skim

　　 in closed cauldrons， boil your horse， his hooves，

　　 the runned-over dog you loved， the girl

　　 by the pencil sharpener

　　 who looked at you， looked away，

　　 boil that for hours， render it

　　 down， take more from the top as more settles to the bottom，

　　 the heavier， the denser， throw in ache

　　 and sperm， and a bead

　　 of sweat that slid from your armpit to your waist

　　 as you sat stiff-backed before a test， turn up

　　 the fire， boil and skim， boil

　　 some more， add a fever

　　 and the virus that blinded an eye， now's the time

　　 to add guilt and fear， throw

　　 logs on the fire， coal， gasoline， throw

　　 two goldfish in the pot （their swim bladders

　　 used for "clearing"）， boil and boil， render

　　 it down and distill，

　　 concentrate that for which there is no

　　 other use at all， boil it down， down，

　　 then stir it with rosewater，

　　 that which is now one dense， fatty， scented red essence

　　 which you smear on your lips and go forth

　　 to plant as many kisses upon the world

　　 as the world can bear！

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