Sensation

I can’t believe

that the leaves

in their gold, their 

wine-red, their fierce 

orange, like the bestial 

tiger lily

were not made 

for me alone

just having flesh

makes me lovesick for

being alive 

makes me yearn

for the next unbearable spark 

of sensation

either agony or delight 

there is no reason

for the world to hold 

chocolate or clean sheets

or friendship

except that we may

seize these pleasures 

and set them 

about us as guardians 

that keep us from 

falling into black

despair 

to keep us from believing

that our purpose

is not to feel 

and to sing

and to speak 

and to write the poetry

of our hungry 

hearts