The Fourth Wall

“I keep painting until I’ve painted myself out of
the picture.” -- Willem DeKoonig

half of my zodiac is in Sagittarius
i am a day-laborer in Vermont
the sound of teeth grinding makes me shiver
i am a professional pall-bearer
born in the year of the wood tiger
i am part of the educated class
combing the stacks until twilight
i paint houses in mid-July
i am a spokesman for an aluminum siding company
the son of immigrants, i exchange languages
as a customs official just south of Toronto
i am an emotional shipwreck
occasionally managing to stay afloat
i made some parts up