Oh LORD I like you, Joshua Bell!

Pantoum for Houston (Director’s Cut)

Well here we are in love again & don’t you fly
& hide your pretty face from me, Houston.
I haven’t had hands in thirteen years.
When I had hands, there was a pink planet hidden

inside a pretty face, Houston, a pink pill
stuck in the throat. It was so hard to get it down.
When I had hands there was a pink planet hidden
& sad stories of how I lost my hands, pink

& stuck in the throat, so very hard to get them down.
Lt. Jackson reads my private mail, sad letters
w/theories on what happened to my hands.
She hunts archaebacteria w/tiny sharpened words

& secretly she reads my private mail, although-
it must be said-she also writes my private mail.
She hunts archaebacteria w/tiny sharpened words
or chews the air so I can breathe, & like I said-

must it be said?-she also writes my private mail,
ie, please save your spit in a jar or I will milk you
& then she chews the air to paste so I can breathe
& asks me where’s the scalpel, please? or music please?

or please save your spit in a jar or I will milk you
like a viper. I’ve read everything Jupiter published.
Where’s the scalpel when the music in me
is a giant spider? Swallow me gently, Houston,

like a viper. I’ve read everything Jupiter published
& I don’t think Jackson’s much of an actress, her
or the giant spider. Swallow me, Houston, gently
feed me my lines, my pink hands are missing

& I don’t think I’m much of an actress. I haven’t
had hands in thirteen years. Feed my lines
to Lt. Jackson & use my hands to mime the story
of Here We Are In Love Again & Don’t You Fly.

-Joshua Bell