Simon to Simon
FOR SIMON CHEANG
In the first tangle of self-consciousness
I work doubly hard to make sure
that I’m not simply talking out loud to myself.
Then, less maddened by coincidence,
I sense viscerally the clash of two instincts:
the territorial versus a car park of selflessness.
As I call you again by our personal name,
I try tacticfully to undo
a subtle defensiveness in my make-up.
Persona temporarily wrong-footed,
I hear in a “background” that will never speak its mind
the buzz of our intimate no one.