Man is in Pain, 1955

Philip Lamantia

Man is in pain
ten bright balls bat the air
falling through the window
on which his double leans a net the air made
to catch the ten bright balls

Man is a room
where the malefic hand turns a knob
on the unseen unknown double's door

Man is in pain
with his navel hook caught on a stone quarry
where ten bright balls chose to land
AND where the malefic hand carves
on gelatinous air THE WINDOW
to slam shut on his shadow's tail

ten bright balls bounce into the unseen
unknown double's net
Man is a false window
through which his double walks to the truth
that falls as ten bright balls
the malefic hand tossed into the air
Man is in pain
ten bright spikes nailed to the door