I’m any way but negative, as long
as I can smoke the herb my brother bought
for me. Let winter threaten; now I’m strong
within philosophy my father taught
when I was young enough to read with him,
when I was dreaming better than today,
before I built a tower out of whim
and placed it where the shadows cannot play.

As long as I have this, I’ll do without
a lot of that and several other things.
I’ll keep a friend but lose amidst my doubt
the partnership of gender-sticky strings
that everyone impressed me I should crave.
It’s more than comfortable inside this cave.