Friendly Sex

friendly sex brings us one unto another
Ulysses'sees for each and all
love and almost love and social love together
we string the seeds in rows
one and twos and so and soes
through the spring, the summer, and fall
till we grow up around each other
and pull one upon each other
and kill the souls of all the others
who lean on us
who went out with us
into distant oceans of unknown.
so we must overboard
for the mouth of whales
brave the viscous waters wild
alone alone. and make our way apart
forget our love and selves and selfish heart
make new tales, reap new rewards, be Jonah to an alien world
and die unwilling martyrs
or surpass our wily hero and pray -
pray we bring down the gods instead
of friends.