because now is all

because without, in the world 
without, what goes on without 
you greases gears, facilitates events
you bend for, actionably, with 
some free will in your driveway, 
picking up papers, reading, not
wondering what hasn't happened
to you, unless by chance
you wrote it down.

without, in the driveway
outside the door, what goes on 
the gears when you bend? over
(for everyone else), it's over.
butter and a dash of____
for the wounds, for the stiffness
back again, unless by chance
you were handed the papers
and you got someone else
to write it down.

without, on the paper
it is with, and they are scandalous
together, but not here,
here it goes on, and you facilitate 
events that are not events but gears
grinding, because you forgot
to put on the right face.
you forgot paper,
and you stare too much,
and your back gets stiff
bending to pick up where
(in the papers) you left
everyone off.

without, in the event you return
and the door is locked, and no one
is there with you where you left them,
and before you can bend, you are 
handed paper when you asked for salt 
(you toss it over shoulder while bending) 
and butter to grease your back because 
you like to bend, and to turn gears quietly,
and to listen when, without, there is
a world unwritten by chance
that is all you hope for
because.

9/7/02