Ribbon Room

Tied up in this ribboned room
Left triggered, double mute
Who needs children, you are my child

Evil, Grinderman, in my ears
Never time for an oath
Double breasted, an inner layer I boast

All this was said
In the hair salon
In the parlor parley
Miss tone
Miss under footed

Fought to blue
Fought to blue

I Met Her

I want your mother to be my mother. I want your father to be my father. I want your brother as my sister. I want my father to be your mother. I remember your cousins as they stood watching the introduction. I remember the lies you told the clerk behind his counter. He will believe them forever. I see the sky when you look up. I left the past in front of me. I know the aims you seek. I heard the sound of shrieking. I become what you need. I form my arms to separate you from the world. I left all the truths with the other toys in the box. I know silence is serious business. I fell from the ground to a walking man. I gave my crutches to circus performer. I met your mother in the morning. I knew what lusts befall the favored men of the clan. I gave tremendous pittances to the conflicting style of statement. I wonder aloud the things I should say. I know the cat’s eye. There are three things uncountable. There have been four perfect pieces of five. Temperature is the motion of the movable  Rough dogs bare their teeth easily. Finding the key to the lock is the last step home. The sun never moves if you see it but once a day. Once a year. Once a lifetime. She thrills the skin, or the thought of skin. There are no crimes betrayed by evidence. I know the speaking of sighs. I remember the day I met your father. I left the cottage alone. I am followed by bears followed by mules followed by humming birds followed by Triffids. I think I left the pen beside the paper. I know the lives of terrible people. I know the glory of the golden eyed. I tense with the memories. I forget to forget. I need no tattoos to know the depth of the questions before me. I met you sister outside her home. Leveling the sand will begin well the path. There are dark eyes in bright spaces. Suddenly, the same thing occurs as predicted. Sadly I rejoice. I wish the show would end within minutes of our arrival. I react poorly to it all. I keep mostly cool in the heat of their presence. I hear them singing, singing, singing. It is happening to you. The town closed over in walls.  In caves of glass and plastic. We are going to drown here. The waves will not slow. There is no high ground on the ocean. The ocean has come. I met your sister’s sister in a far flung novel. I knew the knowledge of you would change everything. I left the truth in my tool belt. I’m naked but for the rhyming smile. I know the fish you caught found you first. I forget the ways of humans. I found the ball far off on the lawn. It ran from me because it is round like the world. Together the falling. Separate the brake. The cultivation is endearing. I’m growing toward death. I find you disconcerting. It is not a special condition. I know the world through the sole of my shoes. The laces tighten with my smile. Hello, don’t trip. I will help you. I am gone. I have left for the coast. You have come with me. The trees are different if you are a tree. I will leave no children and no name. I cannot despair. I am leaving behind the truth with the map of/to our home. I've buried a key beneath the agreed upon spot. There are words for this. You must know how it happened. I never saw it coming. I can only see it all going away, down the memory hole, the well of faces. I threw the orange at the wrong angle. As it rolled away, she said it doesn't matter, we don’t eat the outside. I assume you read English. I met your mother before mine.

Want your mother to be my mother. Want your father to be my father. Want your brother as my sister. Want my father to be your mother. Remember your cousins as they stood watching the introduction. Remember the lies you told the clerk behind his counter. He will believe them forever. See the sky when you look up. Left the past in front of me. Know the aims you seek. Heard the sound of shrieking. Become what you need. Form my arms to separate you from the world. Left all the truths with the other toys in the box. Know silence is serious business. Fell from the ground to a walking man. Gave my crutches to circus performer. Met your mother in the morning. Knew what lusts befall the favored men of the clan. Gave tremendous pittances to the conflicting style of statement. Wonder aloud the things should say. Know the cat’s eye. There are three things uncountable. There have been four perfect pieces of five. Temperature is the motion of the movable  rough dogs bare their teeth easily. Finding the key to the lock is the last step home. The sun never moves if you see it but once a day. Once a year. Once a lifetime. She thrills the skin, or the thought of skin. There are no crimes betrayed by evidence. Know the speaking of sighs. Remember the day met your father. Left the cottage alone. Am followed by bears followed by mules followed by humming birds followed by triffids. Think left the pen beside the paper. Know the lives of terrible people. Know the glory of the golden eyed. Tense with the memories. Forget to forget. Need no tattoos to know the depth of the questions before me. Met you sister outside her home. Leveling the sand will begin well the path. There are dark eyes in bright spaces. Suddenly, the same thing occurs as predicted. Sadly rejoice. Wish the show would end within minutes of our arrival. React poorly to it all. Keep mostly cool in the heat of their presence. Hear them singing, singing, singing. It is happening to you. The town closed over in walls.  In caves of glass and plastic. We are going to drown here. The waves will not slow. There is no high ground on the ocean. The ocean has come. Met your sister’s sister in a far flung novel. Knew the knowledge of you would change everything. Left the truth in my tool belt. I’m naked but for the rhyming smile. Know the fish you caught found you first. Forget the ways of humans. Found the ball far off on the lawn. It ran from me because it is round like the world. Together the falling. Separate the brake. The cultivation is endearing. I’m growing toward death. Find you disconcerting. It is not a special condition. Know the world through the sole of my shoes. The laces tighten with my smile. Hello, don’t trip. Will help you. Am gone. Have left for the coast. You have come with me. The trees are different if you are a tree. Will leave no children and no name. Cannot despair. Am leaving behind the truth with the map of/to our home. I've buried a key beneath the agreed upon spot. There are words for this. You must know how it happened. Never saw it coming. Can only see it all going away, down the memory hole, the well of faces. Threw the orange at the wrong angle. As it rolled away, she said it doesn't matter, we don’t eat the outside. Assume you read english. Met your mother before mine.

want your mother to be my mother want your father to be my father want your brother as my sister want my father to be your mother remember your cousins as they stood watching the introduction remember the lies you told the clerk behind his counter he will believe them forever see the sky when you look up left the past in front of me know the aims you seek heard the sound of shrieking become what you need form my arms to separate you from the world left all the truths with the other toys in the box know silence is serious business fell from the ground to a walking man gave my crutches to circus performer met your mother in the morning knew what lusts befall the favored men of the clan gave tremendous pittances to the conflicting style of statement wonder aloud the things should say know the cat’s eye there are three things uncountable there have been four perfect pieces of five temperature is the motion of the movable  rough dogs bare their teeth easily finding the key to the lock is the last step home the sun never moves if you see it but once a day once a year once a lifetime she thrills the skin, or the thought of skin there are no crimes betrayed by evidence know the speaking of sighs remember the day met your father left the cottage alone am followed by bears followed by mules followed by humming birds followed by triffids think left the pen beside the paper know the lives of terrible people know the glory of the golden eyed tense with the memories forget to forget need no tattoos to know the depth of the questions before me met you sister outside her home leveling the sand will begin well the path there are dark eyes in bright spaces suddenly, the same thing occurs as predicted sadly rejoice wish the show would end within minutes of our arrival react poorly to it all keep mostly cool in the heat of their presence hear them singing, singing, singing it is happening to you the town closed over in walls  in caves of glass and plastic we are going to drown here the waves will not slow there is no high ground on the ocean the ocean has come met your sister’s sister in a far flung novel knew the knowledge of you would change everything left the truth in my tool belt i’m naked but for the rhyming smile know the fish you caught found you first forget the ways of humans found the ball far off on the lawn it ran from me because it is round like the world together the falling separate the brake the cultivation is endearing i’m growing toward death find you disconcerting it is not a special condition know the world through the sole of my shoes the laces tighten with my smile hello, don’t trip will help you am gone have left for the coast you have come with me the trees are different if you are a tree will leave no children and no name cannot despair am leaving behind the truth with the map of/to our home i've buried a key beneath the agreed upon spot there are words for this you must know how it happened never saw it coming can only see it all going away, down the memory hole, the well of faces threw the orange at the wrong angle as it rolled away, she said it doesn't matter, we don’t eat the outside assume you read english met your mother before mine

wantyourmothertobemymotherwantyourfathertobemyfatherwantyourbrotherasmysisterwantmyfathertobeyour
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ging,singingitishappeningtoyouthetownclosedoverinwallsincavesofglassandplasticwearegoingtodrownherethew
aveswillnotslowthereisnohighgroundontheoceantheoceanhascomemetyoursister’ssisterinafarflungnovelknewth
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worldtogetherthefallingseparatethebrakethecultivationisendearingi’mgrowingtowarddeathfindyoudisconcerting
itisnotaspecialconditionknowtheworldthroughthesoleofmyshoesthelacestightenwithmysmilehello,don’ttripwillh
elpyouamgonehaveleftforthecoastyouhavecomewithmethetreesaredifferentifyouareatreewillleavenochildrenan
dnonamecannotdespairamleavingbehindthetruthwiththemapof/toourhomei'veburiedakeybeneaththeagreedupo
nspottherearewordsforthisyoumustknowhowithappenedneversawitcomingcanonlyseeitallgoingaway,downthe
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Stasis Cracking

Stasis cracking,

where folded again and again,

the material thins...

The Gilderman spots drops of overmuch moisture on the wing

as the nose is pulled downward by mirthful gravity,

the Earth calls for a kiss.

The formless dark of the future looms as a mountain

and may not be topped.

Appears a conceptualized barrier of grasping gnarls,

the lingering fears like February’s bare branches,

the last dormant sticks stretch to scratch at his feet.

Willing the next mountain be topped.

Eyes bright before find less to see

it seems, but only as they can perceive,

as visions fail in the west must follow around to be lost in the sea,

as our candles gutter in boiling tanks of radioactive seawater.

We have left our legacy behind.

We’ve self incriminated as careless shadows barred in pinstripes,

thugs of apes, hairless and flipping off

the mountain tops, jagged and roped with dead adventurists.

The midnight clocks stop as we defy Time

and defile our original rhythms,

extending the darkness, and blacker lies than

Light defeats Night.

And every day there are more faces where they shouldn’t be,

expressive phantoms smiling strange,

winking at this sanity.

with mimi we in tone

just make it stop

for god’s sake, don’t cut anymore

leave me beside the battlefield

don’t wonder

just let me piss in this pot and be done

An Hour On Foot

An hour on foot

to restore magic within the head.

The twilight feel of a storm’s leading edge.

The sun swiftly occluded,

wind stirring the trees into strange ritual dance.

And the feet keep time,

freeing the ego to fade for an interlude,

freeing the heart to play with sense unfiltered.

The wind whirling is music without instrument,

a rising and falling song for the earless.

And the well opens in your belly,

a pulsing liquid tension threatening

to reflect the cascading nowness

of everything and everyone around.

Threatening to make we strangers in the street

flash fully telepathic and naked to each other’s

whispers and intents.

The invisible pushing air binds all,

rippling the skirts of passing girls,

hands clutched in firm prevention.

Litter in flight both given and discarded,

from trees and villain alike,

runs in choreographed streams and eddies,

pecking at faces bravely peering into this change

that takes us all.

This changing life,

this marked day,

this blackness without night.

Distance Dementia

distance dementia dogtown arbor wishing lovers lying fallow fun time showering else always flowering if to the coons drawn snarls till the blue churls churn in clouds of misting fire temperance flies too long and too low for the casual death of dark dreams and silly themes friends to no king but the fallen man in the government hospital bed forgotten and left alone with his neglected newspaper route lie left in strangers’ eyes lies made and left behind on the bus strange ways of passing time of ticking down the silent seconds where we should have been screaming and beaming our uniqueness to billboards on mars and pluto and to strange shapes glimpsed on titan where the sleepers wait to lives full of delicate gross expression to speed and insult to the animal who urinates on your trees in the middle of the night to the dark ships seen in the brief lighthouse eye adrift and drifting in toward this rocky shore what comes for us what comes for just them what will be my sole pain to be unshared unsaid befallen forgotten destroyed remember reborn and thrust back down again I see the electron glow in the people’s eyes their claw like hands clutching the ilife, the good life of berserk infamy the disassembly of the powers of being human the bright knowledge retained the language thick and meaningful dropped down the level of closed captioned cats without pause without punctuation without intention or apology for foresight or hindsight or dreams thought of with originality but only dropped down to reboots and lack luster scandals of vamps and charlatans bring me the alien invasion the evil great foe the world war of clean black and white and easy animosity bring me the survival story of our forefathers and our grandchildren anything but this post post post modern banality of this endless wait at the Godot bus stop give me the old testament destruction and judgment give me the trouble and the sacrifice the heroic choices and the life of legend make me brave and inconsolable make me the invisible desperate man who cannot abide the lies and masks of this diluted civilization give me rockets up ship go give us a frontier a different tier something beside the reality tiara of shinning stupid celebrities and endless internet villains drop kick me jesus into a world devoid of spell check a world measured once again in honor and truth and mug me for these silly nostalgias I never had make me able to wait for the present to arrive and to close my eyes to the future canceled by the past make this my final hour before I ask for another alm make me human make me human give me trees and let me kill and create and burn my masterpieces before they’re made I will I will fill this bucket with my own brains if it means plugging in a circsaw and then fingers of dream and rivulets of meat as ever there was

A Stillness After Masterful Music

A stillness after masterful music.

The orchestra as one lays their instruments down.

The crowd swoons in a hush, each heart paused to reflect,

This death is dear.

What he left us is beyond measure,

beyond the course of suns bouncing from solar system to galaxy,

as an electron’s jump belies a changing state,

further than the terrible fears of the October People come again

further than the strange electric smell of lions on the veldt.

We honor your Murderer, and your Firemen.

We’ve learned to respect butterflies, especially those very old.

There are Rocket men out there, trailing comets just as lonely.

And we promise to name the first high school on Mars after you.

Some will know your name and weep.

Some will hear it for the first and maybe read some of your paragraphical genius.

Their hearts are the lucky ones, for they discover a new joy,

and need not mourn your passing away.

Regards regards regards,

Good night, Mr. Bradbury, Ray.

Acetylene torch, a settling touch

Acetylene torch, a settling touch

transformations gross and subtle

soldiering signs, grass before the scythe,

three horn blasts and the Others come,

to this, to the clock, hands undone.

Darling drinkers, lift them high,

forswear thoughts of what draws nigh.

Ere self is erasure of I,

what hands do pray, what eyes upon the sun

pick out rays, the signs are plain,

seen by Sara Tall and Emily D.

Singers call across the empty sea,

of past lives, out past Mars,

a little further than eternity.

What liquid makes this sip true,

what hour does smile, rare and few.

Liken to rocks, lichen on the north,

while we cast and reel, press and seal.

Notes far flung, and confessions tucked away,

bottles without stoppers merely fill

and fail to contain.

Lick this black spittle from my pen.

I’ve ended, and so begin.

React, And Choose Anew

I’ll be damned if chaos doesn’t seem to reign.

Occasionally, life reminds us the basis of violence,

pure disruption of the plan, the style, the formula.

The best laid gardens of mice and men...

I’ll be damned if it ain’t a season of murder,

whether it be my fruited plants aborted via pale design,

or a careless robin in the morning road 

thumping his last thought against the undercarriage,

or a whole town in Syria swamped in fear and blood and semi auto reports.

People are breaking the seals of angels.

What to do.

Push forward and reference history’s perspective.

Know where and when you are

and rely upon the whispers of the dead,

for they speak only of why.

And we can but reply.

Statements in science and soldiery succor,

given doubts and dreams, we slumber

only to flash into the waking action.

Prostrate then Plan. Darn and Sew.

The layers of Life fractal away into the distance,

in patterns understood and beguiling.

What can we do but react,

and choose anew.

Seeing The Singing

Seeing the singing

Singly something slides
Some tumbler clicking inside
Fingers twitching, feeling the picking

Designs surface for air
Old vomit burst forth from the blowhole
Figures and diagrams fade from
Old red to new blue

Syringes tapped and flicked
Sprig, squirt, the fingers cradle
as the thumb braces in the plunger’s ring

Let there ever be moments astride
before and after
the demarcation of dream and realization
“we used to speak of it, and now rely on it”

Adjustable adjusting,
such grace.

There won’t be fine flowers in her hair
But her dark eyes will be mine
To be carried in my pocket
Like a gory locket
So that I may stare and stare
evermore in the infinite beautiful black of the
raven’s wing

My sweet Poeish girl.

Of Darkly Darning, Darling

Look fire breathing twins of darkly darning, darling
They are seeming seamstresses, sewing, soing, speaking
Words flick from their needles’ display, drinking, dunking, shuttling
They say, good day, good night, say good bye, and pray

Strange patterns form where the twins fold
The colors change to match the hue of the eyes beholding
One stricken stripe for you will not be the same line for me
These are strange ladies, indeed

I think of them oft, in that the girls don’t exist
But that, in that, so that, they do now, you believe
Loving the texturous twine, of twinning the spine
Clone this moment, a fountain under the sea

Spells are laid thus at the doorway of your dreams
Mystics wheel about in lonely deserts, the sand finding form underfoot
I met such shaman in a twilight, the light failing us all
The relief began with a silhouette and grew to additional dimension

Four chambers there be to the heart of man
Four lines I can give you only a moment here
Four days until the birth of another Christmas copy
Four months until the plug is pulled, like a candlestick startled into wisps of smoke

I did not say, I spoke
I find this begun, and broke

We'll Necessarily, Make Time

And Then

There are such surges of strength,

And then,

I recall I'm dying.

(The Garden Before Sin)

Tuck Point

I hear rats moving about in my basement
In the backyard, beggars claw at the mortar bricked foundation
I sense below audible snuffing, just outside my night blackened bedroom window.

There is an approaching
Something stalks less and less quietly
Something gaining confidence
Sloughing off a need to hide

It’s beetles in my belly
Subtle spiders under the skin
They mix and cajole behind my skull
Toasting the ending begin.



I hear the clicking and clacking of human fingers
Translating goopy organic notions into digitally
transmitted text.
So many clickings an clackings, like a world remade
in bees’ dance.

From one cell to the next, virus spread.
From laughing absurdities to street fighting men.
Protests have emerged, lacking definition or zen.
The stomach of the world is beginning to twist
it seems
rejecting the brackish black water of our common dreams.

I find myself a little man, with a larger plan.
Some definite desire without strategy.
But smaller have made more on less,
so I shall begin treating with the twitches,
with the strange shapes in the corners that only
suddenly emerge as common items, and not the witnessing
demons projected from within.

I’ll have to make shelves for all the elves I know.
All the wrinkled toes dipping bravely into this pond.
I’ll fashion the unmagic will of a wand,
and wave… and wave….and wave.