Deer in the Forest II

Franz Marc

Paradise Zoo

 

In this world of thick thighs
and iron-bar ankles
it’s hard to see anything at all,
but if you move your eyes
past the giraffes
and the smart dolphins,
through the crucified christs,
the magdeleines, the madonnas,
and the serpents,
you might just catch us:
two button-eyed captives
connected by a chew of arms,
like the baby trunks of baby elephants.

Tonight when all the crowds have gone
and the red angels themselves
have dropped the keys and floated on,
we will retire to the false-blue pool,
unzip our monkey suits,
brush away the lice,
lie down in cool fake grass,
laugh ourselves to paradise.