Tug

　　 by Ben Doyle

　　 The tug on my arm but soon spread

　　 Perhaps now they could prove me there.

　　 I've been watching the sky closely & for some time，

　　 My hands in it， making crude， beautiful doves.

　　 Sometimes a sprinkler spits

　　 An arc of silver water over me，

　　 Hissing， bisecting. Half of a thing

　　 As much of a thing as ever can be.

　　 If they have to water it， it's not a real field.

　　 It's a yard， connected to a white building.

　　 Once， I was inside a building.

　　 Tooth， your shadow the color of the hour.

　　 There was a smell of some spice，

　　 I don't know what it was called.

　　 I wanted to take a bath， change my gravity；

　　 Feel my skin loose & leave a ring.

　　 The man said they only had shower stalls.

　　 Those were the days everyone lived

　　 In fear of a fierce spouse，

　　 Paddling through the steam，

　　 Something in her hand：

　　 Hair-dryer， toaster， leaf-blower，

　　 Plugged-in & zinging.

　　 And you there， stewing in your own

　　 Sauce， whistling an oldie.

　　 Deaf by dawn & if dawn comes

　　 Day may break--bellowing

　　 Below thing， be low， sing，

　　 Slinging blows， blowing slang

　　 Songs， bowing. Bring out the big

　　 Amp， vinyl torn， plywood exposed，

　　 I think the tubes are ready， sir，

　　 The dew I flicked on them leapt & left

　　 Steelsleet， the weather from the recycle tower

　　 Less yellow as it lowers， a film of its tinting

　　 The buildings， tinning the yards with first light.

　　 I've seen the hours of train from above on the bridge，

　　 Each car brimmed with rusty blades， broken bayonets，

　　 Naked bent frames of things. . . .I can't tell. . . .

　　 Can you smell the crimson？ And the cars behind me，

　　 Metal mixed at the proper ratio， careen dying to be there，

　　 Gasoline hemorrhaging， pistons punching themselves out.

　　 The barge gravid with metal took its miles to pass as I stood

　　 On the bank not saluting， thinking now， now what am I going to do.

　　 The first blast of the opening ore-oven decays all decay.

　　 The scraps shine. The smelting starts seamless， top down， bottom up.

　　 Hollowing. Hello， thing. Hell， lathing. Howlingly singing holes.

　　 So what are you going to be？

　　 A ghost.

　　 I stole a white sheet from a line.

　　 Leaves were stuck to it， I'll

　　 Punch some holes in it， I'll

　　 Jump from the balconies

　　 Of bleached buildings