Basin

I like

how you toss yourself 

casually 

into the category of sinners

in that throwaway 

way that you have

of leveling us

with your double entendres 

that are meant to 

slip by our notice 

like supple fish

I’m not quick enough 

to catch them in the moment 

with the naked hands

of my attention 

but I pour over the pool 

and when I am lucky

I sometimes see 

a glimmer of gold 

under the surface of the water

it must be dull 

to always be surrounded 

by people who miss your meaning

unless you 

congratulate yourself 

on your own cleverness

unless you are 

so accustomed to dredging

the bottom of the river 

for understanding

that you no longer notice

how the hollow reeds

cluster around you.