they say channel it
into something else
make yourself a movie
star
make yourself a talk show
host
make yourself into some
slim lipped
thin thighed
freaky-bo-deaky
scary monster;
hypnotized
underprized
written over
like some kind of magical
human white out
Channel it
they say
Make yourself into someone else
Get a make over
Get over yourself
Get over the lumps of life
Figure out why Wednesday
makes you so sad
Figure out why
everything makes you so sad
Just
channel it
channel it
Channel it
Charlatan, bring me Esther Williams?
Should I spin round and round
with my arms outstretched
like I’m five again
in this skin and out
In this skin and out
channeling, changeling, channeling
But really
they just want to change the channel
not listen with ears pressed
to the door
Just change the channel
Swim the channel
Channel it through
art
music
literature
Write a poem, damnitt
that makes a bit of sense
and even if you can’t
Channel that sadness
Move out the way
I can’t get the remote to work
He says
out of the way
just go channel it
Like the it wasn’t him
And the channel wasn’t wrong
And the fingers I need
Are his on my skin
In and out of this skin
And in and out of this wide mouthed grin
I’ve written you letters
I’ve written you poems
I’ve written your name on bathroom walls
in black or red sharpie
Only you wouldn’t know
because I use my own alphabet
Channeled that Sanskrit spirit
until you can’t understand
Because after all
I’m in the way
You don’t want to be touched
You don’t want to touch
this skin, in and out and back again
This skin
like a feather
across the front of my consciousness
I am channeling
channeling
channeling
change the channel
Change your skin
Change the perspective
Change your spin
Channeling waters like worry
wasn't time intact, time to trap
you in this schism
all of these channels for you to forget
me with
forget I was in the way.
copyright eak 2004