The Taste of War

you shall not talk in bed
no whisperings of prayers
or poetry recitings
you shall not sing in bed
or chew gum or sleeping pills
you may not swing from the ceiling
from happiness or from woe
do not bring your pens to bed
or your store receipts and grocery lists
do not worry that you left the lid
off the jar of honey
or if the milk is out of date
do not think of rain or snow
or somewhere new to go
don't speak please
you'll frighten the tipsy mouse
you never admit you see 
no thinking of food or dirty laundry
or what you'll next eat
forget your debt and who hasn't repaid you yet 
and everything you're not good at
you should not think of the madness
that you're sure you suffer from
or who is out to get you
of all the places you'll never hurry to
or of the faces you'll never see again
not of the mosquitoes that will drain you thin
don't speak, don't think, don't worry for nothing
play your radio low
pull the sky over you
the star spangled one
no wringing of your hands
the memories in them are rented for a lifetime
don't think about your mother's silver watch
in a box
it can no longer tick its way out of anything
or of how you can't forgive yourself
it would be too dangerous 
to enjoy life again
and you enjoy the taste of war
too much to let it end