Jim was minus his head
and looking for something
nice to say
propped up in his bed
45° of cogency
addressing his doctor

Kate, I love
your Negro otherness
having a bird in the basement
made me rethink the day

well, he tried
as we all do
to say something honest
to be well-received
I felt a-Jim

a few hours later
Jim has found
his head 
the bubbles have
left his thought
that worries me
I am again
scared of his mouth
and its intentional offense

Check out other work in the Uncollected series here.