daughter-father of the first recorded foo fighter, a steppe-dog surfaced from the undermorning flowed in doomsdaying and killing and ruining. they rolled their ribs among the flush weeds. beside a nearby tree leaned glinting chainmail and left-handed straight-claw bastard and shield demarcating their outlaw—no coat of arms on its dishonorable formation spikes. loosened head twisting … Continue reading Massive Like Fish And Drunk
Tiny Woodland Creeks
I Barrie’s cheeks are crammed with buttered toast as he shoulders open his screen door and steps onto his porch. He slops a little coffee on the threshold as the door slams—loud in the early morning, but he’s used to it; the sound doesn’t qualify as a disturbance. Dressed in his navy housecoat and chequered … Continue reading Tiny Woodland Creeks
“Talkin’ Tough Blues” – “Microcosms” – “10 Ways to Cope with Your Next Writing Rejection” – “E = MC Escher” – “Dying Oceans”
Talkin' Tough Blues Alright, sister, that's a mighty pretty headyou got on your shoulders. You want tokeep it there or start carrying it aroundin your hands? You're not the only onethat had an unhappy childhood. Maybethat's what hell is. All men are guilty.They're born innocent, but it doesn't last.I've been kicked around all my life, … Continue reading “Talkin’ Tough Blues” – “Microcosms” – “10 Ways to Cope with Your Next Writing Rejection” – “E = MC Escher” – “Dying Oceans”
Honky
My grandpa Honky, the switchboard operator, talked to Webb Pierce at 1:30AM every night. I’d hear him in the attic yelling, “Sing those lungs right out of your mouth, Webb! May they flap their wings in a dimension of switchboards and telephone wires.” I remember the days when he’d stand on the roof fixing the … Continue reading Honky
“Searching the Mousetraps” – “Like running through ashes” – “In the algebraic morning” – “Scourge of vampire” – “A Saphead in Repose”
collage by Joshua Martin Searching the Mousetraps Other widow’s peak to speak the egocentric circles unjustified & typed until all symbolic variations have been removed, then tied & in this gagged state a toyshop commando holding tire iron gloves promises to push the voltage on the rails as high as a mongoose left to its … Continue reading “Searching the Mousetraps” – “Like running through ashes” – “In the algebraic morning” – “Scourge of vampire” – “A Saphead in Repose”
QUIS UT DEUS? (Who Is Like Unto God?)
Grosbard’s 1981 film True Confessions begins with what is probably the best existing depiction of the Catholic Latin Mass, “celebrated” by Robert DeNiro, who reportedly insisted on learning to say the entire liturgy correctly and did every take as a full solemn high nuptial mass (its most elaborate form). The scene lingers notably on the … Continue reading QUIS UT DEUS? (Who Is Like Unto God?)
“Black Leaves” – “The Earthstar” – “Nicodemus”
Black Leaves Black leaves laughingat the side of the road. Obliviouspeople press onand the leaves crimson,curling their toes. Occasionally a girlstops and makes a faceat the scandal, and the leavesgo for her mouth,serious only aboutoblivion’s code. Then back to their blather—less burning bushthan minstrel show—these black tongues laughingat the side of the road. The Earthstar … Continue reading “Black Leaves” – “The Earthstar” – “Nicodemus”
Shaving Cream
Rusty razor blades, pock marked with orange decay. Safety razor caked in hair and old foam residue. Mirror, splattered with busted zit juice and spit flecks, like Pollack, but more organic. A man called Umberto, standing there, scratching up and down his face, with the grain of his day old beard, then against the grain. … Continue reading Shaving Cream
“YOU PLAY OKAY” – “which end is this end” – “from up high”
YOU PLAY OKAY Zolar zip zum go to the end of the blockand find find your way backGo to the end of the block and stare up at the sunZolar zip zumYou made a gameIn the gameYou are goodYou perform well Go to the end of the blockWe have confidenceWe play togetherIf mother was aliveIf … Continue reading “YOU PLAY OKAY” – “which end is this end” – “from up high”
“The Arms of Venus de Milos” – “Ancestor” – “Eleven Infants of Detroit”
The Arms of Venus de Milos An empty gesturewe can no more experiencethan our ancestors could experience usbeing-lostdeeper than the day could readbeyond the wall of languagein the history of a great pregnancy. The long departed are within usas a burden on our fate,as blood which murmursfrom outside the depths of time —the impossibility of … Continue reading “The Arms of Venus de Milos” – “Ancestor” – “Eleven Infants of Detroit”
