POEMS TO RIM ANDREW TATE TO – ‘The Virtue of Betrayal’ – by Cypress Butane

‘The Virtue of Betrayal’ by Cypress Butane

As one contemplates the purpose
and the art continues to come
and one knows creation is part of oneself, always
and the first thing on the honey tip of one’s tongue
is the title and conception
the virtue of betrayal
knowing one has a thing to say
but reasons to keep
miles to go before one saves the forest’s view
versus the tree’s notion of sleeping alone
in a world of flame and death and fear
I know the company of meta and the comfort of all things artificial
will calm me down enough to remember what i
came here to see
came here to solve nothing
came here to dance
and for you to dance with me
break free and run
“he respects us enough to forget us,
and that takes courage” – the critic voice I remember most dearly
as I list off my impressive list of celebrity suicides in a party setting
and run away with a teacher who i know doesn’t want me around
hoping there is some pity
among screaming bodies in the trunk
and scattered work of years escaping on the wind
as we give away the things we worked so hard to steal
in the epiphany that what comes back to me
as i escape the law in a burst of
poetry