black ink octopus (1986)

black ink octopus strums
thru the water 
like the hands of a hypnotist,
he weaves thru fish
with his beltstrap appendages,
makes quilts and sweaters from
sewn sharkskin

poseidon called out to the tailor
for a coat of sea trout
and starfish, he strutted down by broadway
after dark with a pretty mermaid
reflecting in his grey sponge eyes

his coat tails swam the night
clouding the past like
black
ink
octopus



1987 Lawrence Kansas