THE DEAD PEOPLE

have you met them? the dead people?
i'm beginning to know the dead people
people with permanent bad breath
people who drink dirt by the gallon
whistling worm hotels
molecules tartare avec capers
eternity's breakfast
yumyum
have you met them?
i'm beginning to know them
snort dirt by the shovelsful these
dead people breathe bugs and chalk
                                 and doodoo
the dead people
swimming thru the coffee joints i'm
beginning to know their birthdays
the dead people's addresses
the names of the dead people's animals
the phone numbers
of the dead people's intimates
the dead people jammed up in traffic
swimming from telephone booths
in their no piece bathing suits
from barbecue to bonfire
in no time flat
from saskatoon to squamish
in a blip

tho it's true
the dead people
are in no hurry
the dead people got
time to rot
time to burn
time to get to know you better
you know them?