Writing the Silences (New California Poetry, Volume 30)

The single means out is twist of fate. anyone has to leap or be driven. The descent is identical  the crushing weight of the standard. there is a taboo opposed to losing during this approach falling quickly and unannounced with miracles in your tongue. And to whom may well we flip to unwind absurdity  simply to spin back who between us is devoted? Heroes in physique armor, airborne dirt and dust, and blood assemble from distant Fresno, all of the unique international locations of Europe. Later, the also-rans will wait as for Odysseus in undesirable religion or in terror— whichever comes first of their tale. Umbrella  barn roof  haystack  a desire to be an angel American usual. From 200 toes up  a voice descending. evidently  the shock is never-ending  “captured on movie” and there are matters that might by no means be settled. Into the gang, the place? not anyone might be yes. The message was once introduced earlier than the infraction may be said. 60 A crackle of a logo-covered unisex jumpsuit brought on us to appear up  too past due  we observed there isn't any time. One message  like whales’ dense force-fed milk  development substance. That knowledge!!! Oh, to be ate up thistles  salt  the unshaded solar. sixty one Holding On 1. How account for dimming of the lighting fixtures luggage of outdated age tagged and ready? or gentle tips in snow at sun-up? ready in line ready in line come sunset staring at the horizon eyes sparkling. sixty three 2. Who no longer the opposite myself my prisoner evening flesh ear-skewered track in average air screams  well-deep seep to the brain-root days Treblinka nights guilt guts the ferret in my cage sanity puddles the ground. sixty four 3. In reminiscence affliction eyes unlace open as final night’s boots a glacier of sunshine saps the air be mindful the torturer’s tinnitus starts off the day. sixty five 4. The  irrationality of it mob noise angels struck from the block of darkness a sunlit sky breaks via in shrapnel difficult screaming evening feather contact troops improvising for the kill panic my enemy my nail-hold. sixty six 5. Of the feel of elbows shattered and stairwell falls hallucinations of confession rush to forestall soreness. sixty seven 6. Andean snow-stars blind me the flashlight of the Burglar of demise flares and holds on my eyes. sixty eight 7. within the banquet Halls ghosts linger feeding heading off canine and the reminiscence of cracked bones. sixty nine 8. current possibility colours hiss from a blue masque bone-bonded Autumn in no year’s season a nerve twitches around the direction. 70 9. Planets via lamplight highway laughter embraced in being parallel traces cave in curbside cornices fall from a stranger’s dream moon-sand ears the population lean in to listen to. seventy one . . . a divertimento . . . My metaphysical coyotes have frustrated and long past. i used to be Edmund’s therapist whereas Lear seemed on and howled. i'm from Cherry road on a marriage anniversary, a tenth-year mistake. i've got logged my fourscore and there's a version T in my head. My prayer mat is a satellite tv for pc circling a fire-prone planet. i've got obvious the icons of poetry step down from their frames and deflate i've got felt the finger cymbals of Kali seduce me towards loss of life. i've been reborn with Elizabeth Bishop’s mess ups in my lap i've got heard States and the holders of energy sing an identical music: “Come, dilly, dilly, come and be killed.