II.iv

cut it down to the grease
with lube in her heart
she has to settle accounts

stringy molecules cleaving to her tongue.

a friendly hello and a tea-chat.

cut her bones down to the grease
holding her head up
a chin of gum

her teeth set so the speech creeps out like dog-whistle.

a small entrepreneur of love
checking out a stale deal
nixing potential future investment

with a few choice turns of phrase
on a pessimistic market and low returns

settling accounts with no hustle
just the small-time hassle of setting it straight
the ritual habit – smoking with the man

cut her throat down to the grease
an easy patter
a friendly hello and a tea-chat

when lube is in your heart
you want things smoothed quick.

fixed like a butterfly on your back
you don’t want all that light
you don’t want to get side-tracked

you don’t want to say just anything
you might regret
a secret deal you didn’t sign to –
strictly small-time.

you don’t want to get back to cutting it down to the oil
the grease chain of people
the fewest moving parts
just to keep you moving.

cut her heart down to the grease
pumping easily with no pressure on
sliding in and out of any arrangement

with the lubricated ease of self-gratification

sliding sideways
any which way you want to
with no bones to hold on to –

settling accounts.

so you know no priest will come
and do last rites –
when lube is in your heart
you can live forever.

strict dada
saying what things are

or the junky dance
nostalgia

with a line of sentiment –
just to get you off:

don’t I know it’s a courageous thing
to live so small and slippery?

don’t I know, when freedom comes to me
it’s like cutting the bone to the grease?

don’t I know you can stretch to anything
when lube is in your heart?

settling accounts
you don’t need to fear me

hello, let’s have a chat
let’s talk as small as you can slide

and when you’re done
when you’re satisfied
you can get back to being lean –

return to hunger
return to hunger
return to hunger
with lube in your heart.