He spoke a jagged language that no one understood
And camped out on the open palms of strangers
In his pocket was a lump of coal
Xmas present from the cracked vellum years
That had rolled off his back
And gurgled in his throat
Magnets frightened him. The aluminum foil hat he wore
Repelled their evil waves and kept him safe
Safe from harm, safe from evolutionary change
Safe from eyes that tracked him, seeking wine
Safe from tiny machines that craved his salty blood
Dumpsters held discarded secrets, held the scales
Fallen from the eyes of sages far from shore
In shopping carts he stacked lost things he'd found
Philosopher's stones and rooster's eggs
Dead Sea scrolls and amphorae of Greek fire
If you asked, he could or would not tell his name
Or when he was born, or where, or why
He spoke a jagged language that no one understood
And, new lungs choking on thin, dry air
Crawled up from the ancient sea to live on land at last
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