— for Henry Louis Gates and James Crowley
It’s an oil,
a white oil,
that gets on everything.
It clumps in dark corners
where if you put a light on it
it’s obvious
but
spread it around enough
and it becomes invisible,
almost intangible
until you try to grip something.
If you’re born coated with it
you forget it’s there.
They — the ones who came before
and know the stuff —
teach you how
to work it, how to make it your friend,
how to hold things.
You don’t even remember it’s there
once you get the knack.
It’s no wonder
that you’re insulted when someone
calls you “slick” as they try to seize you
and make you see how on your skin,
it shines so evenly and on theirs,
it’s a pattern of smears and blotches.
No wonder that when you try to touch
those exposed patches,
it comes between you.
—
Dark Matter 
July 26th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Tony,
O/T: Just giving you a head’s up that I’ve added a link here —> http://disgruntledpunks.wordpress.com/ to your site.
Keep up the good work man.
Steve
July 26th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Thanks, Steve! I’m adding the link to my list as well.
July 25th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Try the new version. Thanks…
July 25th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
ooh! good one. i’d make one small change (I know, I should tell you all the things I love about it first — for me it all works) — don’t love the line break between deal and with it, would rather see them on one line or cut with it altogether. i’m going to ponder this concept a bit… thanks, tony!