a birthday present to myself — t, 2019

we two boys together clinging, 
one the other never leaving, 
up and down the roads going, 
north and south excursions making, 
power enjoying, elbows stretching, 
fingers clutching, arm'd and fearless, 
eating, drinking, sleeping, loving, 
no law less than ourselves owning, 
sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening, 
misers, menials, priests alarming, 
air breathing, water drinking, 
on the turf or the sea-beach dancing, 
cities wrenching, ease scorning, 
statutes mocking, feebleness chasing, 
fulfilling our foray — walt whitman, 1900

mercedes bends

we two boys together clinging, 
one the other never leaving, 
up and down the roads going, 
north and south excursions making, 
power enjoying, elbows stretching, 
fingers clutching, arm'd and fearless, 
eating, drinking, sleeping, loving, 
no law less than ourselves owning, 
sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening, 
misers, menials, priests alarming, 
air breathing, water drinking, 
on the turf or the sea-beach dancing, 
cities wrenching, ease scorning, 
statutes mocking, feebleness chasing, 
fulfilling our foray.