top of page

withdrawal

by Niko Magnussen

Goodness gracious, I am urinating. I 
am seesawing a steak knife
Out my eyes and mouth and 
Onto the floor, like a dog
My tailbone droopy 
and aching
I haven't seen you in two days.
In December, courtesy of 
DSM-5, I held my breath
till I swelled popped
Sneezed out
a reminder you're a real person
I wish again to lay my cheek to the asphalt and think up so much frictional force it drags me into another raw and bloody dimension—
I haven't dreamt you in a day.
   
I’d be Lucien Carr if I committed so I guess instead I keep waiting I kiss you 
again between the bars
tho I don't like that tobetouched
Well, I'd let you rag me or washcloth me or 
something to dwell on…
Maudlin and in paradise: 
we nuzzle like         
two mallards laying under  
expanding        
Fraudulent        
chalkboard sky. Shooting
stars. If only
I'd ask to come over, I'd ask you to the movies, I’d tell you 
Apoptosis,
man.
I made everything up as I made you up and you've never seen me before in your life and you can’t 
tell your friends to kindly pry their eyes from my crotch 
I am as much a man as you
are for your Biblical lists of women.
No I’m not, because I prefer
Dancing cross-dressers
And sometimes they, not you, make me weep
You're cute, clueless. You know not of the hermaphrodite, or Vuong, or fruity shampoo
I'm the beggar on your doorstep you look both ways you don't look down you don't
see me
I imagine, when you do, I am exiting the bath before it gets            
warm again
We're two loping rabbits, not like that
You're nice and you care at least a little so you don’t loogie my eyes.
You shake the table again, but you don't shake me off. 
You drape a new pair of pants over my head to hide
the moony smile I have when 
I see 
you
An honor slaying.

bottom of page