Early Vision

“I want to trace them to the source
And the wire”
—Vampire Weekend, ‘I Think Ur a Contra’

Standing back
and watching it all happen—seeing
the cord, having well seen yours (I only now
talk to myself)—I could not
take seriously those deep
analytic definitions
of love (that I was once
also prone to) that were now
being shouted at me
by “you”—as they changed
out of the mouth on cue; as the cord

was waving the cord
becoming a noose, the cord
wanting a sacrifice
with long hair: it didn’t matter who (I once
had long hair too—like god). Of

course, like anyone
towing the line, the mouth
thought it was holding the cord—that it was choosing
the definitions and ripples; even
enjoying them. But I…
I was enjoying them! Marvellous! Having seen

enough and stood back, knowing
we were both only beginning
to define ourselves (at best).