Arsenic Eater

An arsenic eater regularly ingests arsenic in its solid form
increasing tolerance over time. Without it, the user dies of withdrawl,

of unpoisoning,
mimicing an overdose. And so
this is what I think about
as I study the forms of repose
on a hot day in the park.
I barely notice the yeast
smell coming form a body
laid out as weighted as a sack
of rice. The smell
is developed
in the late stages
of alcoholism. How do I know this?
I used to be less steeped in forgetting.

There's a slow move of the hand to the face.
The hands drape with paper bag, the brown
facets of one mingling with the other.
What am I to do?
Take another bite of forgetting
and study not the body being fondled
by growing shawdows, but the curled
orange petals of the tiger lily opened
as far as they can go?

Copyright Louise Robertson