imagine desire as compressed heat, as a star,

a supernova—place it inside a box
wrapped in stripes of warm colors,

red black orange gold and white
like a gift on your birthday. a wounded red bow

toward the left, toward the top, to say:
I am for you—open me. if it were only so easy 
to feel that large, to fill a room

and still keep your heart
contained—but like any gift,

what you want is to touch 
the thing inside. all you need is an edge

to rip, but in the end you’re too small
and it’s too big—


Notes:

In response to Infatuation by Ross Bleckner, 244 x 508 cm.

At time of viewing, housed at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, MA.