Page 6
February 18, 1973
THE OPERATION OF THE LEMON,
Resting on a warm desk,
A spy catches a glimpse of an egg.
But notice this yellow lump.
Why must it be there?
It looks like it ran in from a hike,
And it's about to start running again,
If you'll ever look off.
But what is this?
Why must you look at it?
Your fingers glide through the air in that direction,
And the yellow egg is upon you.
You will not allow yourself to touch it, first off,
And your hand hovers just above it's surface,
For a moment.
And a finger secretly finds its way down to the top
Of the structure, and
Watch it move!
It shakes so rapidly back and...
And now, its stopped.
It rests.
It stares like a dead fish with it's green and wrinkled eye.
But it moves no more.
It shines at you, from the skin.
Does your skin shine?
Your face now glides through the air in that direction,
And the yellow egg is close!
Don't let it out of your sight.
It's a wild animal waiting to run away!
Notice it breathing?
Move your eyes closer...
Closer.
It is alive!
But lemons can be very still,
When they want to.
Notice how the shadows fall on it's back.
Like painted brown watercolors freshly drying.
Notice the wrinkles on it's back
Time changes everything.
Notice the little green dots, and the orange ones,
All over.
The better to breathe with my dear.
And notice that which you cannot see,
Resting on it's other side.
Do not move it!
Imagine!
Is there a desolate sea of smooth-colored dots,
Sprinkled across that view as well?
Or are there moving parts that
Snap and bite, open and close, push and pull?
You know they switch sides if you turn them over.