Michael Cluff- A Poem

Liquidity in the Desert

I found a cup of evil
yesternight as the moon
arose over the Yuma buttes,
I did not touch the lip
with what was inside;
to savor the thought
of occurrences of what
may constantly happen
slacked my thirst
much more instead.

Entering back into
a Southern California county,
I ruled imperial
since I could manipulate
many fates by what this
cheap chalice contained.

By the moment
I reached the ridges
partitioning coast
from cactus,
I emptied the remnants
from last night
into a cement cistern
with radiator water
and hoped what I added
would spread what needed
to be finally done.