eight dollars plus one cat plus a growing
hole in a five year old shoe plus a television
more mirror for not being turned on plus
four mountains of unsold drawings plus dawn

minus the elegant benevolence of intelligence
minus another night of cigarettes smoked
like salmon spawn minus distance with a thought
minus loss of faith in ego minus song

divided by the continual averaging of light
wrestled with and subdued multiplied by methodical
amplification approaching im/personal truth

equals eight dollars and one cat who stares
in disinterested alacrity with pink tongue out
and the moment the better remainder of youth