Nightwater

down the double-helix stairway
underneath the killing sky
bed of roaches
creeping carpet
give me water or I’ll die
give me water, cool nightwater
from the sea-pools of your eyyes
give me water, sweet nightwater
give me water or I’ll die
down the sluices of oblivion
drain a reservoir of thirst
shooting stars like stock-car
headlights flash and flicker
flare and burst
and the children of the
hydra-born of beetle
blood and dung
dance like dervishes in sulphur
on the ashes of my tongue
am I falling, am I walking?
is the universe run dry?
give me water, sweet nightwater
give me water or I’ll die
let it thunder if i’m angry
when i’m thirsty let it rain
give me water
sweet nightwater
let me hear your voice again
give me water, cool nightwater
from the sea-pools of your eyes
give me water, sweet nightwater
give me water or I’ll die
downstream at a burning ghat
beside the river’s rim
a leper slipped into the flood
and taught the tide to swim
the waves were full of radios
static on the ether
the corpse snagged
on a hyacinth
they floated down together
and the children of the
hydra-born of beetle
blood and dung
dance like dervishes in sulphur
on the ashes of my tongue
am i falling, am I walking?
is the universe run dry?
give me water, sweet nightwater
give me water or I’ll die
give me water, cool nightwater
from the sea-pools of your eyes
give me water, sweet nightwater
give me water or I’ll die