they knew me as

the chimp with the fresh scented shampoo and the fancy clothes
is how most people knew me
until now
now they know my music
i have healed the giant would of the world
you thought you were a private citizen
now you know we're all citizen privates
whatever does that mean
it means we are soldiers of the eyelid
elephantasies on the eyelids of dreams
logging hours and thousands of calls
scraping the cream
remembering ancient gestures and
happy to have no flavor
recalling the wind like the ice would recall a blueberry
after a long original fishing pole breakfast
broken pool cue long legged lady priest
of the catacombs
active yeast combination lock

they used to know me as the TV chimp with everything
the executive curling iron and the deck of trick cards
now they know me as the sound of a waterlogged hackeysack
kicking through the cloud as elves cry
the tears are non-cathartic everyday moisture
the self-same moisture of the seas

they knew me by names like
Hot Rod
Apple Tree Blossom
MoTown Druid
5:19
Popeye Jaundice
Celebrity Tripets
and often, Rossco

now they now me as Steve, the sweet urgent kisses
the sweet roll, the broken spool
heartless Steve - the guy who tries to pacify
always sharing his fries
wooo