JUST THE SNIP OF A SCISSOR

 

PARADISE IS INTOLERABLE

 

FROM HIS HEIGHT HE COULD SEE THE FIRST SIGNS OF CONES FORMING

 

LIKE BUBOES ON THE TOP OF BRANCHES

 

AROUND THORNS

 

WHICH WRENS & PIGEONS STOOD AMONGST

 

AVOIDING

 

THE DOORS BOARDED

 

THE BUILDING NOT VERY OLD

 

WASTE & OPULENCE

 

HIS STORY ENDS & IS DROPPED

 

HER THINKING & WHAT HER CONVO MEANS TO HER

 

THE OUTER NEST

 

FIGURE IT OUT FIRST

 

JUST ON HIS OWN DOING NOTHING; IS THAT OK

 

WHERE ARE WE GETTING WITH THE TWO OF THEM

 

BEING WORSE THAN HE CURRENTLY IS

 

ANECDOTE IN THE CONTAINER OR NEST

 

OPULENCE & CLASS

 

HOVERING CLOSER & CLOSER

 

THE NARROWING TERRAIN OF HUMAN VIRTUOSITY

 

BURST A CLOSING STONE

 

OF THE EDIFICE OF

 

SO UNUSUAL TO FIND YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO ANYTHING

 

THEY SEARCH THE HOUSE FOR HIM

 

HOW TO WRITE A LOOSE CANNON, AS SHE IS

 

CRISP & ORNAMENTAL

 

BLACK SHELVES OF DVDS AND XBOX GAMES PILED IN INTERIORS

 

DEGRADED SEARCH FOR MEANING

 

CORRUPTION & NAIVETÉ OF AMBITION

 

& DESCRIBE AS THOUGH MOVING THROUGH THERE

 

TEXTURE OF BAD DRIVING & GUN VIOLENCE

 

SOUL HULLS ITSELF

 

HE HAD PULLED ON A NIKE VEST IN BRIGHT TEAL & A GRIZZLIES HAT IN AN ALMOST MATCHING HUE

 

SOMEBODY TELLS YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN THE STORE

 

OR IN THE PARKING LOT OUTSIDE

 

OKAY, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO ABOUT IT, MOTHERFUCKER? 

 

TIRED ISN’T A PERSONALITY TRAIT

 

I CAN SEE OUTSIDE; I’VE BEEN OUTSIDE

 

A PAUSE ENSUED IN WHICH

 

& YOU INSTANTLY KNOW THE PEOPLE NOT TO FUCK WITH

 

BELOW WHICH POPPIES REDDENED IN THE DRY GRASS

 

AN OLD MAZDA, PERHAPS AN MX7

 

AS THOUGH DONNING THE UNIFORM OF THE OPPRESSOR

 

IN THE SHADE AFFORDED BY LOW, DOLEFUL HAWTHORN IN BLOOM

 

THE INDIFFERENT WANDERING OF SOME FAT GUY IN A PREDATORS JERSEY

 

& MADE THE WHOLE ENDEAVOUR SEEM HAPHAZARD, AMATEURISH

 

SOME DOZEN OR MORE WERE HIMSELF

 

BESIDE HIM, ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, STILL IN ITS WRAPPER

 

THE CHICKEN ENCHILADA BURRITO

 

BUT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LIKE YOU OR DO YOU WANT FREEDOM?

 

YEAH THAT SHIT WAS BONE DRY, DEAN

 

BUT CAN’T I HAVE BOTH? 

 

THE SHELVES I BROWSED IN VIRTUAL DARKNESS

 

I LIKE TO KEEP IT SPARSE

 

THE CHICKEN AN INERT BREADED CLUMP

 

WARM & BULKY

 

LIKE ONE OF THE UNDERSIZE DOG BREEDS

 

JULY 18 2006

 

FAINT FEELING OF A BRITTLE, PRECIOUS INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

 

AN ITEM THAT CAN’T POSSIBLY EXIST IN HIS HAND

 

THREE DOLLARS & CHANGE I PAID FOR IT

 

HELD THE BEIGE NUB

 

HUNG THERE LIKE THE STUMP OF AN AMPUTEE

 

AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN

 

FRUIT FLIES HAD GOTTEN INTO THE HOUSE & ACCUMULATED

 

NURTURED IN CUT LEMONS

 

DAYS LATER, SPRITZING THE KITCHEN SURFACES AGAIN 

 

COULD NOT RECALL IF HE’D LEFT THEM OUT DELIBERATELY OR NOT

 

EACH ONE EXPIRED SO EASILY BUT THE SWARM TOOK DAYS TO RECEDE 

 

A HABIT THEY FOUND HARD TO BREAK & KEPT UP 

 

SOFT, PEACH LIGHT VOID

 

THIS IS THE MOST PERNICIOUS OF YOUR DELUSIONS

 

AT WHICH HE LAUGHED UPROARIOUSLY 

 

HE FOUND COMMENTS FROM AN UNFAMILIAR ACCOUNT

 

GULLED INTO THINKING

 

WHICH REITERATED THE PRAISE & OFFERED MORE

 

WITH ANTIC, DESULTORY ENERGY

 

I FELT I KNEW YOU INSTANTLY, SHE WROTE IN CLOSING

 

THEIR BOXES THE TYPE OF GREEN THAT SHOULDN’T BE IN ADULT ROOMS

 

BUT NOW EVERY CONVERSATION IS LIKE YOU’RE BOTH ON COKE

 

LIKE A TOOTH RELENTLESSLY PUSHING AGAINST ITS NEIGHBOUR

 

THE WHOLE MOUTH GOING THAT WAY

 

DIM, DULL FROM SWEAT

 

BUT WHICH FOOL?

 

NOT THE MOST FOOLISH

 

BUT THE LOUDEST, THE MOST BRASH, THE MOST KINGLY

 

MAP TO TRANSCENDENCE

 

DESIRE

 

WE LOST

 

THE MIST CLEARING FROM A DISTANT HILL

 

OUR BODIES WON’T BE ON EARTH MUCH LONGER

 

BACKLIT LIQUOR BOTTLES IN ECTOPLASMIC SHADES

 

& EVEN MORE SELDOM ALONE IN THEM

 

CERTAIN OF THE BAR’S BOOTHS WERE IN THE SEMIDARKNESS OUTSIDE THE TELEVISION’S PENUMBRA 

 

ALL OF THIS OCCURRED IN MERE MOMENTS

 

THE TIME IT TAKES FOR A PUPIL TO FLIT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE EYE TO THE OTHER

 

THEY GO OUTSIDE TO TALK

 

I’M FUCKED UP

 

PHONE SCREEN CRACKED; VAPE PEN

 

I JUST SPOKE TO HIM LIKE TWO DAYS AGO, HE WAS OKAY

 

SOME LIKE PEPSI, SOME LIKE COKE

 

I TOOK THE SAME SHIT & I DON’T FEEL ANYTHING

 

SUPPLE

 

WE COULD SEANCE THE OLD HIM

 

I GO THE WHOLE HOG IN A SEANCE 

 

COMMOTION IN THE STAIRWAY ANNOUNCED HER ARRIVAL

 

BUT NOT ALONE & NOT HER COMMOTION

 

WHOSE HOARSE VOICE PINGED WITH BLEARY EMOTION

 

I SAW HIM FUCKIN TUESDAY & I DIDN’T EVEN SPEAK TO HIM

 

THE FUCK, MAN

 

I HAD TO MAKE MYSELF INFLATABLE

 

BUT THE CREATURE SEEMS TO BE A GLACIER

 

RIDGES OF THE ARCHED SPINE LIKE KNUCKLES ON A HAND 

 

BELIEF & ACTION ARE THE SAME THING

 

THIRD WEEK OF AUGUST 

 

HIGH CLOUDS SCUDDED ACROSS THE SUN

 

THIRD WEEK OF AUGUST

 

WHEN THE SUN RETURNED IN LONG, BLOCKY FLASHES 

 

A MINUTE CLOSER 

 

AUGUST WANING; ALMOST NOBODY WAS AROUND

 

A CHERRY RED SEDAN A HIGH PROMONTORY GLIMPSED FROM OUT IN THE OCEAN

 

THE PAPER BAG MOTTLED

 

& THOUGH HE DID NOT ARTICULATE IT TO HIMSELF AT THE TIME

 

LIKE THOSE WHO BECAME ADDICTED TO THE COCAINE DRIP IN THEIR THROAT

 

CONCENTRATING ON REMOVING THE FOIL IN A SPIRAL 

 

TILTED ITS GLUTINOUS PROTUBERANCE 

 

FLACCID YELLOW TUBES 

 

CHICKEN THE COLOUR OF VARNISHED WOOD

 

THE WHOLE SANDWICH IN THE PROCESS OF DESTROYING ITSELF

 

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO RIOTED WHEN THEY SAW ‘RITE OF SPRING’?

 

CAN YOU IMAGINE ANYTHING MEANING THAT MUCH TO YOU?

 

WE WERE STOOD RIGHT BACK AT THE SIDE OF THE STAGE

 

YOU NEEDED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PASS TO GET NEARER 

 

A GREEN BASEBALL CAP WITH DRINKS IN GOLD EMBROIDERY 

 

I TOOK THE SAME SHIT AS HIM ON TUESDAY & HE’S WALKING AROUND STILL FUCKED UP

 

I SAW HIM THIS MORNING & IT’S NOT HIM

 

IT’S NOT THE SAME PERSON

 

HIS KNUCKLES ACROSS THE BEER BOTTLE WERE LIKE THE NOTCHES OF A SPINE, ARCHED

 

EYES PINK & SHADED, WILD

 

BUT YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE OKAY

 

I CAN STILL FUCKIN FEEL IT IN ME

 

I CAN STILL FEEL IT RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW?

 

LIKE IT’S FUCKIN WAITING TO TAKE HOLD

 

LIKE A TIMER THAT HAD ALREADY COUNTED DOWN TO ZERO

 

IF ANYTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BY NOW

 

COINS FALLING FROM THE MACHINE’S SLOT

 

TALKING ABOUT EATING WATERMELON SLICES

 

FUCKING EIGHT MESSAGES ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE

 

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THE SAND IN THIS WORLD

 

MADE OF CREAM PLASTIC, BLACK PLASTIC, WOOD, METAL

 

HUNDREDS OF THEM, DESIGNATED WITH FLOCKED & FADED TYPEWRITTEN LABELS

 

THEY FOUND & PINNED A BEDSHEET TO THE WALL & GOT THE WHOLE THING GOING

 

& THEN, VERY SPOTTY & GRAINY, A PAN ACROSS A DOORWAY

 

THE SKY, THE WHITE SUN, TWO GIRLS, LONG BLONDE HAIR, SHIELDING THEIR EYES

 

ACROSS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE EYES COULDN’T FOCUS

 

SOME INNER LAYER OF THE INTERSTITIAL 

 

THINGS WHICH THEY WOULD FIND INTOLERABLE BECAME COMPLETELY NATURAL

 

WHICH WERE NATURAL COULD NO LONGER BE STOOD

 

ARE THEY TWO AGENTS?

 

OR DID THEY DECIDE UPON THE HOUSE THROUGH SOME RITUAL?

 

SOME KIND OF SECRET; AGAIN HEAVY HANDED

 

STOOD WITH HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS

 

LIKE SOMEONE HAVING ALIGHTED A TRAIN IN A NEW CITY

 

FULL OF SCULPTURES & FRESCOES

 

CONTAINING A LAWYER’S OFFICE

 

A CHEAP LAWYER

 

A LAWYER WHO

 

THE SUN HAD CAUGHT THE LID OF THE EXTRACTION FAN’S BOX

 

UPON WHICH A LOW SKIN OF OILY WATER TREMBLED 

 

SURFACES WERE OFTEN COVERED WITH BLACK INK THAT WOULD NOT SOAK IN

 

CLUNG TO SKIN & WALLS 

 

POOLED ON TABLES & THE SLEEVES OF JACKETS 

 

THE WHOLE WORLD WERE WRAPPED IN FILM

 

HE BLINKED & A TRUCK EASED IN FRONT 

 

HE REMONSTRATED WITH HIMSELF FOR HIS SILENCE

 

HIS SLOWNESS

 

HIS PREDILECTION FOR NEUTRALITY

 

THE PROBLEM WAS NOBODY LIKED THAT

 

AS THOUGH ALL THE EFFORT HE PUT IN EFFACED HIM ENTIRELY

 

A GHOST

 

ACID SPILLED ON THE FILM STRIP

 

WHERE HIS MOUTH HAD ONCE BEEN, HIS CHUCKLE

 

PLEONASTIC INTERJECTION 

 

WHITE PENUMBRA

 

HEAT HAZE ALL AROUND HIM 

 

A FOG OF SUMMER INSECTS BITING BUT NOT DRAWING BLOOD

 

THE CONVERSATION GOT AWAY 

 

LIKE HE HAD TURNED UP TO THE PARTY IN WHITE SHIRT & JEANS

 

& EVERYBODY ELSE WAS IN COSTUME AS A MONSTER 

 

I CAN GET IT HERE ON MY PHONE, WAIT A SECOND

 

IF ALL GESTURES OF A LIFE WERE REPLICATED IN A DARK ROOM

 

AN OBSERVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL WHICH WERE THE DECISIVE ONES

 

BRANCHES IN THE WIND HOVERING LIKE CLAWS POISED TO STRIKE

 

I’M THE LAST ONE ALIVE WHO SAW HIM SPEAK 

 

IN BUFFALO

 

ANCIENT DUST BLEW THROUGH THE AUDITORIUM

 

I STILL HAVE IT UNDER MY FINGERNAILS

 

GOLD FRAME CHAIRS WITH PINK PATTERNED CUSHIONS

 

IN THEIR ABSENCE, THREE UNFAMILIAR MEN CAME & SAT IN THEIR CHAIRS

 

SAID, “I’M SORRY, THIS TABLE IS OCCUPIED”

 

BUT THE MEN, WHO WORE THICK, PATTERNED SWEATERS, DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE & NEITHER DID THEY MOVE

 

OR SPEAK TO EACH OTHER

 

EVERYTHING WAS HOT & CLOSE & THE FOOD DELICIOUS

 

BLACK JACKET DAMP AT THE SHOULDERS 

 

LAUDED WITH SERENE EQUANIMITY 

 

GAVE A CONCILIATORY SHRUG & TURNED TO GO BACK TO THE BAR

 

NEXT WEEK, FOR SURE, I PROMISE

 

GLANCED INTO THE DARK STAIRWELL & RETURNED TO HIM

 

SO THE SHIFT IS FROM ENTREATY TO CRITICISM

 

THE AIR HOT & MECHANICAL 

 

HELD HIS LANE AS OTHERS MERGED OUT TO THE LEFT & BACK IN FRONT 

 

FELT DISMAL & UNDIGNIFIED JOINING THE QUEUE

 

CRACKED & SUN DAMAGED, YELLOW, DEHYDRATED WEEDS GREW IN PATCHES

 

SEE ACROSS THE LOT’S HAZY EXPANSE

 

A FEW CARS IN RED & BLUE PICKED UP THE SUN

 

HAD NOT MOVED AT ALL

 

MOVED & JOSTLED TO AN UNHEARD RHYTHM 

 

SAYS HE GOT THE WRONG SANDWICH & HAS TO GO BACK 

 

OR THAT HE WAS IN TROUBLE 

 

HIGH & CLEAR AS THE CLOUDS

 

IF EVERYBODY WOULD STOP TRYING SO HARD

 

WHICH NIXON HAD ONCE VISITED & DECLARED UGLY

 

HADN’T EATEN SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING

 

IN TOO TIGHT OF JACKET

 

APPEARED ANGUISHED, DESPERATE 

 

SOMEONE SHOUT, “WHERE IS MY BIKE?”

 

CALLER HAS JUST GONE INTO HER GARDEN

 

& NOTICED A BIKE HAS BEEN PUT IN THE CORNER

 

IT IS A BLACK BIKE

 

CALLER IS

 

THEY ARE DRINKING, THERE IS FOOD, THERE IS MUSIC

 

BOOMS & ECHOES OF SLIGHT SUCTION

 

BLOOD; WHITE NOISE

 

STOP SEARCH, STOP ACCOUNT

 

AT THE TIME IT SEEMED AN ALARMING CONCLUSION TO REACH

 

BUT NOW PERFECTLY SENSIBLE 

 

THE BRITTLE OUTER BARK SLOUGHED OFF

 

BONE UNDERNEATH