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AGENT ORANGE JULIUS
(A True Tale From The Castro. Eat your heart out, Armistead!)

© 1997 by Ezekiel J. Krahlin



          i expect you to suddenly
          reappear
               like a friendly ghost
          into my arms
               neon kisses
               gentle embrace
               hands sweetly touching
          at any moment
               sitting   waiting for me
               over an avocado omelette

                    	how very california

               i enter and stumble all over you
               i am so hungry
                    metal utensils pushed by happy elbows
                    clatter to the floor
                         a-harmonic chimes
                         merry wedding bells
               joyful tears        caresses
               thank god     thank god     thank god
               i taste your sweet saliva
                    illuminating a forkful of omelette
                         silver/yellow/green
                         radioactive love!
                    that you press upon my tongue

               i sigh over a plate
               of french fries
                    the coffee
                         bitter
                         like my heart
                    my room
                    the building in which i live
                         hollow
                         like my heart
                    the streets
                    the people

                    the city
                         frigid
                         like my heart

          oh brother of the lion heart
          i wanted to
               be your androcles
               remove the bitter thorn

                         of viet nam