If Your Going Off (Revised)
If You’re Going Off
Have you flown on
like a feather in a whisper?
Maybe you’ve gone off.
But you can’t go off without me
’cause don’t we always go off together
Don’t we go wild together
celebrate the unity laugh
fall onto a stunt mattress
If you’ve gone away,
if you’ve gone astray
tell me that you’ll be careful
remember we’re substantial
in silly ways with safety nets
Stunt woman,
if you’ve gone to seek a beach,
take the care road to the shells
and toe in the water to
listen for an ocean sound, but
if there’d be rain, let it be musical:
a pitter-clap and applause.
If be there sun
let it not burn though
if there be fog
let the fog horn be
triumphant like a fanfare, but
I’m not sure what do about the grasshoppers —
maybe chocolate.
(not sure if grasshoppers like chocolate)
For every whisper, a breeze;
for every breeze, a sail;
for every sail, a ship;
for every ship, a destination.
For a destination
me and a tickle,
and a last jump, because
I don’t want you to fall
into anyone but me
when I’m real soft and cushy
— Douglas Gilbert
