I STARTED OUT ON BURGUNDY

by Phil Lane

The more I drink
the more I enjoy these
orbital hangovers,
A dangerous proposition,
to be sure

the same thing happened with
opium and women
I once believed myself
a shaman,
swimming in the river
behind the river

but it’s not the drug
that makes the man,
awake in pools of lithium
with my tangible demise
Fun, Fun, Fun
‘til morning takes my T-Bird away
and the lizard is sick
in some hospital ward
wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper

gotta get something strong
before it all comes to life
and the adding machine cuts me
with her steel erection—