for a long time
my mind was slow
not from its own shortcomings
but rather from mine
because I was bad to it
for a long time
my body was ignored
not for failing to give me pleasure
but failing to be pleased by lovers
because I misunderstood it
for the long time I wondered
can machinery for happiness atrophy away?
cast-iron buddhas rusting over centuries
in some disrespected temple...
corrosion the only escape
then that long time ended
after I'd learned how and why
the worm-gears and cogs of happiness stopped
they started again, so slowly I didn't notice
when the old temple was fixed.
my mind was slow
not from its own shortcomings
but rather from mine
because I was bad to it
for a long time
my body was ignored
not for failing to give me pleasure
but failing to be pleased by lovers
because I misunderstood it
for the long time I wondered
can machinery for happiness atrophy away?
cast-iron buddhas rusting over centuries
in some disrespected temple...
corrosion the only escape
then that long time ended
after I'd learned how and why
the worm-gears and cogs of happiness stopped
they started again, so slowly I didn't notice
when the old temple was fixed.