How History Affected Me
History has been merciful to me
by ignoring my existence
my street was never occupied
and most violence was domestic
I never really had to fight authorities
least not official ones, the bullies were inside.
Poetry Exercises II
(divergent poem, after listening to Captain Beefheart’s Hey Garland, I Dig Your Tweed Coat)
Give me back my heart
you loony
the hapless sprout from a
fairytale-clout
clobbered him from underneath a
spider’s house
the words of a God scented through
the thick curtain overthrown by
Jesus-deep nothingness
his belly ached like belly’s lead
torn smiling like a headmaster’s
stress-pain
she was a grandmaster in her
icy skull-laked naked
saviouress
people peopled jazzy chested
chess-games in the open sun
he barfed hairy seizures
fit open into a one-cloud mind
leave this holy mind of mine
he mimed
give me back my heart you fool
you loony
give me back my heart
you tune
Poetry Exercises I
(pantoum: abcdbedfegfhgcha)
Night
The fridge again, with a rattling shake
ending the humming one-sided conversation
sends me back to the city’s distant quiet voice
in this too big bed, every dream gets overcrowded
Ending the humming one-sided conversation
I wake up paralysed
birds of prey were planning to ravish me
in this too big bed, every dream gets overcrowded
if only my funeral would be as well attended
I wake up paralysed
birds of prey were planning to ravish me
the morning paper slams through the door
if only my funeral would be as well attended
perhaps this night’s riddles will inform the day’s vertigo
The morning paper slams through the door
sends me back to the city’s distant quiet voice
perhaps this night’s riddles will inform the day’s vertigo
The fridge again, with a rattling shake.