Before The Electron

Before the electron, there
was Vin Diesel. And a
hydroelectric plant he’d
converted into a studio
apartment.

He didn’t shock himself
in carpeted department stores
on metal clothing racks.
And his willpower wasn’t
made of electrons but of
a helpful machine that
was ignorant of electrons
but compromised by transforming
Vin’s volition into normal
humdrum actions like walking
and talking and lifting his arm
and scratching his ass
and waving to an acquaintance
across the street through
the power of its own will –

which, in turn, was fueled
by poetry about photosynthesis.