Sunset Boulevard

How we said we'd never change
even if we moved to Hollywood.

Still the faucet would drip and the
clock would pant like I do on my runs

around the block and back.
Yes, I would wear more black and perhaps

your music would be more glamorous but I'd still
look the same when I sleep and you'd still eat

those Pop Tarts by the box, and those girls under
the florescent lights, those curious creatures...

How I said I'd never leave as I pushed
that big black car down Vine, sometimes.

You spoke of your vices through the glitter
that this city breaths instead of air and poisons

without second thought. That director sent me letters
from Brazil, though we had not danced

in years, and when we sat the Formosa,
there was nothing left to scream about and

we walked out. Yes, this I recited when we
walked side by side in that intimate stride-

My hate belongs to daddy,
your heart to Dizzy and Parker,
these nobodies to Sunset Boulevard,
this woman, this woman, to the avant-guard.

Take Six (Off Hollywood)

Take four was last night when our arms
touched on the corner of Lexington Avenue.

Take five was the fury I danced
away in my bathtub with my torso.

This is take six, pancakes and champagne,
this is divine-

He said, take one blue pill in the morning.

Darling, I thought about us yesterday.
Wasted way in a great big chair that
held me like my daddy did,

I tried to sigh you out.

There was no release.

So then I tried to write you out
with the repetition of the word beautiful.

Beautiful for the notes you played me,
beautiful for the way you enraged me.

Take four was when I woke up
dreaming at 2 am.

Take five was me standing in the museum,
staring at drab, realistic painting of children.

Take six was delovely,
take six was candy cherries-

He said, take three black pills at sunset.

Take four was when I lined
the windowsill with pop bottles.

Take five was my toast to
the damning of men.

Take six was cherries and chocolate coins,
Ice cream in bed, rocky road from a chipped coffee cup.

He said, take one violet pill at night.