The Poetry of
Michael G. Khmelnitsky

mr. kobayashi rides    the train
home
                                   nothing awaits
                                   nothing lingers
          so


mr. kobayashi
determined
                             slowly
licks
sucks the salty dirt
                           off his fingers


mr. kobayashi
at home
                               takes the
         nail clippers
         and clips some more
    skin and fingernail
    from a finger
                  already too far gone


mr. kobayashi
pushes on his finger
                                              for the pain
pushing out white pus and
blood


mr. kobayashi
pushes again
                                              has
pleasure like he
had never had


mr. kobayashi
going to bed
                                              to write
                                              calculate and
                                              masturbate
    thinks
    how subarashii
    it is

              that
              time and again
    new pain
    kills
    turns into pleasure
                                     old pain
he thinks

then
                     the moment
                     all his


mr. kobayashi
closes his eyes and gives
              his pillow


              a kiss