© Michael Schmidt 2012
Elvis’ stillborn brother
in his cardboard box he sings
of their souls’ might
two hundred sev’ty nights
when they both were kings
Elvis’ darkling brother
in his old shoebox he croons
of the gods they’d be
his brother and he
before they broke the strings
Never wanted to be famous
never wanted to be born
only wanted to be linked
undivided in dark embrace
Elvis’ changeling brother
with his third eye he spies
a Dravidian maid
his heartstrings she plays
until he all but cries
Never wanted segregation
never wanted to be scorned
only wanted to be twinned
whisp’ring like hummingbirds
Elvis’ monstrous brother
in the lonesome night he howls
for his sweet monster-girl
like a Bedouin bereft
pain shrouded in a cowl
Never wanted to be ground
winnowing of his seed
only wanted to be binary
their harmonics on the wind
Elvis’ lovelorn brother
head a nest of wasps he sings
of their souls’ might
two hundred sev’ty nights
when they both were kings
[ENDS]
