Discourse

suddenly, — “without warning” or premonition
(but who is there to warn us? Of danger? A town crier?)

metamorphosis of seraphim
once hobbled club-footed,
knotted forehead untied

the rate of change through time as a medium
held within The Seven Invisibilities

lying behind what’s evident
and intentionally, by a violence, concealed so as to deceive

All at once crawling naked occurs
Unforeseen to sit up bare happens
Spontaneously lying down nude takes place

all that’s said, un-said
about them, surrounding them as a coral reef,
near-fatal details differ
casually, off-the-cuff, in passing:

There are velvety petals on pansies, —
mundane daily life in a setting (scenery)
measured by discrepancies
or Nostradamus contradictions, — tragic
 

The Lower Case “i”

1

an island without flowers — has no use for insects — nor rain — the sidewalk
is one, continuous bridge — it is — that goes from puddle — to a stoppage, a cloud

hung between my life — and life itself, a comma hung — a speck
blocked off — my going on — my coming home stopped short — at once

a mote of dust threatened to crush — the City of God — under a faint
impression — and swarms of angels — shuffled their wings, random — wanton —

my feet left foot prints — on the ceiling — of the cell — a “learn-to-dance” cloth
the blood rushed to —my headlessness — a guard thumbed the key — a jaw-harp

no icicles — drip on eaves — or parking meters — since the smith hammered
them unveiled — on a cold anvil — to envelope the closest slave — in the clearest links

everything on two legs — starts to flap — going higher — The two-legged tripod —
the barbecue grill — until no room is left — in skies dyed blue — for old clouds

intelligence is only — a fraction — a niche for omniscience, punctual canings
for forgetting how to spell — ignorance is the numerator — the viscous unguent

My tail tucked between my legs — my cloven heels — its point arrowhead
designates a matchstick, intact — Robins, also — ready for a redder scene

2

I died too late — to see life — on a barren planet — a dozen
pebbles — in an egg carton — so i cleaned my spectacles — to see inertia

thunderheads — knocked at the front — door, undressed. a raindrop
pressed the buzzer — i spoke — to an intercom — in the dark, calm

i asked “the housefly” — for a sugar cube — my tombstone, a postage stamp
entomology explains — the sleeping larva — muttered a lullaby

maggots wear a simple mask — a face without a visor — or make-up
gnawing at — the looking glass — reflections carry germs — sepsis

the anthill is a monotonous — zoo — in this picture of the ground
i forget where i am — Atlas dragging a breadcrumb — up a steep slope

doors, walls, ceiling, floor — are all one — churning horizon — that erases
the chalkboard of the sky — by rote — i learn zero — naught — synonyms