Secrets Poem by GORDON GILHULY

the quickgolden sun is burning a hole in the blood of my head
only the quenching waters of Lethe which know my secret
can find the compromise necessary to cool me, my brain's fever
plunge deeply into the cherry waters; my flesh cannot stop me
monsters, jaws dripping blood, are all that remain
they, too, have found my secret, can cool the boiling blood

ebony fingers have entered me
black holes have been discovered in my universe; they will engulf me
long terrible scalpels have entered me
the doctors peel my layers like oranges; they will see

anonymous shapes that once, no doubt, were wolves
gather in the shadows; I cannot see what I know is there
but I can hear many hearts pounding with sinister blood
I know how it will be when the darkness comes
they will fall on me with teeth sharp as mockery
no one will confess to hearing my screams; I will become nothing

I must build another fire to keep away wolves, darkness, nothing
the fires last such a short time but someone may have seen the last one
when I burned my boat in the desert
there is a chance that someone may remember