Lamantia’s Ashtray

Lamantia’s ashtray

That ate the table down to its stems

Through the floor it hung like a moth

With its chattering gums slipping around

The linoleum, headed for the sock under the chair,

Hung while he screamed pounding it with his Gauloises,

And it dropped belching out whole tiles and tobacco,

Marched up the door scattering poets to the walls,

Ate the glass and dropped down crashing like a guerilla

And headed for the next room.