H e a r t S o n s & H e a r t D a u g h t e r s of A l l e n G i n s b e r g

N a p a l m H e a l t h S p a : R e p o r t 2 0 1 4 : A r c h i v e s E d i t i o n

ANNE WALDMAN

Common Law

Common law you are always on your waking by communal bedside's toes. Secular power keeps you on your secular toes unblessed by holy power a patriarch's hold. A woman & a woman keep the same sex faith. Others do. What's the power in common law on common ground you step upon on tiptoe. A man & a man do. Common faith. Conjugal rights for a woman & a woman will do. It is the tipped hallowed affair bold in day or was once a way to break away & went along in time became a bed a stage a blame a frame a claim a state of mind a crush some years some grounds for suit a random urge an undeniable passion never stopped went on was chimed in met the family became a family chimed in on family extended the metaphor family raised a religious family was raised beyond doubt beyond family couldn't get the sanction by day raised up a sleeve travelled through need came alive unraveled unrivaled that need came apart came to law was accepted by law downed then rounded out by law needed law need rights need common ground to fence in the communal things don't fence the trickster inside the common law inside the secular metaphor common ground in. We had it in common. But were never common. We were never random. We were in a genital conjugal situation seven years seven tides seven hurricanes seven wars seven reasons why seven simultaneities seven bold maids a milking on your guard. Common law is a right not rite. It is for every danger. Common law begs to differ. Common law sings for its supper. Common law is fine. Common law is not quite marriage. On your guard. Common law is fine.

[Originally published in NHS 2000, http://www.poetspath.com/napalm/nhs00/waldman.html.]