Help with some Bukowski syntax [closed]

Solution 1:

"less" is a mistake: possibly a typing-error. It should be "lest":

lest
[formal] With the intention of preventing (something undesirable); to avoid the risk of.
Example: he spent whole days in his room, wearing headphones lest he disturb anyone. (Lexico)

As you see from Lexico's example, following "lest" the subjunctive mood is needed: "lest he disturb" rather than "lest he disturbs." Nowadays we usually say, "in case something happens" or "for fear of something happening." "Lest something happen" is more concise, but as Lexico says, 'formal'.

In the last two lines, the word "possess" - though not repeated - is understood from the context. It is like -
"I love you."
"And I you."
The omission of superfluous words in this way is called 'ellipsis'.

We could rewrite the lines like this:

be careful in case the onion blinds the eye
or the snake stings
or the beetle possesses the house
or the lover [possesses] your wife
or the government [possesses] your child..."

Without "lest" we don't need the subjunctive, but the poem becomes less elegant. And without the ellipses (plural of ellipsis) the repeats are dull. And "in case" isn't quite the same as "lest".

Solution 2:

As written, this does not make sense; there is an error and "less" should be read "unless".

This is the word found in this copy of the poem.

There is an ellipsis of the verb "possess" in the last two lines.

• or the lover possess your wife

• or the government possess your child.