-when one has a chance-

Ferlinghetti wired Ginsberg

after the San Francisco
reading of HOWL

cut short from exhaustion;
(Ginsberg's lungs

not ready for Rockland

as much as Ferlinghetti’s ears)

"Send manuscript to City Lights." Stop.

an invitation accepted upon receipt
in time for Ginsberg to catch Howl's breath.

then onward toward the wire

strung through the aether waiting for all of them.