I'M NOT DRUNK BUT

I'M TRYING

LATELY I'VE SAT ON THE SOFA
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AT EVERY CAR THAT'S PASSED
I'M WORRIED
EVERY DOOR
EVERY IGNITION

I DON'T KNOW
IT'S LIKE EVERY ONE ALIVE CANNOT DEAL
WITH THE EXISTENCE OF EVERYONE ELSE ALIVE

I THINK IF I PLAYED GHANDI IN A MOVIE
WHERE GHANDI CARRIED A MACHINE GUN
AND USED IT TO SHOOT BIRDS
I WOULD BE A BETTER PERSON

I THINK IF I STARRED IN AN INFOMERCIAL
BEGGING THE STARVING CHILDREN
TO JUST FUCKING DIE ALREADY
I WOULD FEEL NO PAIN

I THINK IF I HAD MY SOUL SURGICALLY REMOVED
I WOULD KEEP IT IN A FORMALDEHYDE JAR
AND SHOW IT OFF AT PARTIES
AND MAYBE HAVE LESS TROUBLE IN LIFE

I LIKE SEEING PEOPLE FAIL
IT MAKES ME LIKE THEM MORE

ONE THING I WANT IS TO LIKE ALL PEOPLE MORE

PEOPLE SHOULD FUCK UP MORE
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SADNESS AND REGRET
RIGHTFULLY EARNED

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SHOWING UP DRUNK
TO YOUR OWN FUNERAL
AND PISSING IN THE CASKET

I WANT THE WORLD TO BE FILLED WITH CORAL REEFS
AND I WANT TO CUT MY FEET ON ALL OF THEM

I SOMETIMES WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF MY PARENTS READ MY POETRY
WOULD THEY SAY ANYTHING
I WONDER WHY THEY HAVEN'T JUST GOOGLED
"DANIEL BAILEY MUNCIE"
IT'S SO EASY
I FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND ME MORE
AND EVEN LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE SHIT THAT I THINK
NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING
BUT I'M TRYING

HERE'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY
I WANT A GIANT WOLF TO PUT ME IN ITS MOUTH
AND WRAP ME IN ITS TOUNGE LIKE A MUMMY
AND LET ME SLEEP IN ITS MOUTH FOR 3,00O YEARS

I REMEMBER SEVERAL VERSIONS OF MY BIRTH

ONCE WHEN I WAS BORN I LOOKED AT THE EARTH LIKE A FLY
I AM YOUNG AND GETTING YOUNGER
I COULD BE A MAGGOT THAT LOVES THE ENTIRE EARTH
THAT CAN ONLY LOVE
AND LOOK AT THE EARTH WITH ITS LOVE AND SAY HOW MUCH LOVE

ONCE WHEN I WAS BORN I WAS THE BLADES OF A LAWN MOWER
COATED WITH WET GRASS
OVER TIME I RUSTED AND SAT IN A SHED AND REMEMBERED BEING BORN
AS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN

ONCE WHEN I WAS BORN I WAS THE SURGEON WHO DELIVERED ME
I LOOKED AT THE BLOOD ON ME AND SAID NOTHING
MY MOTHER SAID, "WHAT IS IT?"
I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW. SOMETHING"
I PUT ME DOWN AND MADE A LARGE DRINK AND SWALLOWED IT

GIANT WOLF, PUT ME IN YOUR MOUTH AND LET ME SLEEP
UNDER YOUR TONGUE WITH THE BLOOD THAT POOLS THERE
SOAK ME RED LIKE A NEWBORN

ON EARTH, BEFORE ALL OF THIS, I REMEMBER STAYING UP LATE
DRUNK, WALKING TO THE BATHROOM, BRUSHING MY TEETH
AND WASHING A LINE OF ANTS DOWN THE BASIN OF THE SINK

I FEEL THE SAME AS I HAVE ALWAYS FELT
BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I HAVEN'T CHANGED
THAT I HAVE NO NEW REGRETS

I LOOK AT THE EARTH AS A BROKEN LANTERN
WITH INTERMINABLE FIRE