a self portrait III

   by Dick Bakken

     hah! you old ghost from the past
          you don’t scare me
       oh i know you too well

  i can leap up and yank you down
tear clothing from you to rags
       i can claw off that skin, that face
     rip out those bones and limbs
            hurl them
     yes kick through a mess that is left

  you can’t hide from me
    i’ll strip you
        to witness what’s standing naked
    oh i’ll laugh such big jaws at you
      because you don’t even exist
          do you hear me