I am not interested br in my body- br the part that stinks br & rots & brings forth br life, br the part that the ground br swallows, br death giving birth br to death- br all of life, br considered br from the body's br point of view, br is a downhill slide br & all our small br preservatives br & griefs br cannot reverse the trend. br br All sensualists br turn puritan br at the end- br turning up lust's soil br & finding bones br beneath the rich volcanic br dirt. br br Some sleep in shrouds br & some in coffins; br some swear off br procreation, others turn br vegetarian, or worse: br they live on air- br on sheer platonic meals br of pure ideas; br once gluttons of the flesh, br they now become br gourmets of the mind. br How to resist that br when the spacious earth br swallows her children br so insatiably, br when all our space-age gods br are grounded, br & only the moan of pleasure br or the rasp of pain br can ever satisfy br the body's appetite? br br & yet my body, br in its dubious wisdom, br led to yours; br & you may br puzzle out br this mystery in your turn. br Choose mind, choose body, br choose to wed the two; br many have tried br but few have done the deed. br br Through you, perhaps, br I may at last succeed.