das lied

you may be asking:

what’s with the german?

It may seem senseless

but it isn't.

there it is in the title

of Rilke’s “the song of the waif”

where he reminds himself that he was little;

“almost too little to live”––

an infant, a reader would well deduce

and he invokes the name of God

as I sometimes do,

and he capitalizes God and I do too,

acting as though God’s my buddy,

as though we'd cruise the Friday night

drag on the hunt for Portuguese snatch,

as though I could bum a smoke,

as if God was God’s first name.

but,–– well, here it is.

my serenade to you this morning.