The Runaround Poem by Rae Armantrout

1

We encountered a problem

sending
a command

to the program.

Did I say that
aloud?

I've broken out
in imps.


*

To be a blip
in a circuit

and to know it,
to relish

this knowledge
in your private

moments
as all moments

are gated
and switched.


2

When I mentioned hatred
I was not thinking

of you,

but you'd best not break
our momentum,

the thrill we get
from our own self-
loathing,

that guilty snigger
running round the room