For Your Safety

There is a jungle beast in me who climbs
and leaps and drapes his insolently lithe
and slinky body from the vines and branches
of his favorite secret jungle trees –

part leopard’s grace, part cunning ape –
he grows in deviousness and agility
and strength – becoming bolder in precise
proportion to my growing older: as I age

he prowls less patiently around my rib cage –
incrementally increasing his frustrated rage:
such dark ferocities glide out of his
hot heart that anyone who saw me walking

down an avenue who knew would call a cop.
Wise move on that observer’s part.
Who knows how long before, abruptly,
he erupts. I’d encourage you to lock us up.

.