he parses
even the echoes
of what he wishes
she would say
turning
a still-born meaning
from the fallow earth
of her silence
(January 17, 2014)
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cognitive dissonance
so many peopletalking at oncego here go thereI can’t understandnot even myselfI grind my teethto distractionin time tothe truncheon-like tapsupon leather bootsin the streetsI know I knownone of this mattersI know I knowI’ve done this beforeI know I knowthere’s alwaysa way awayfrom the tangledsquare commandsthat are screamedfrom the wallsI know I knowthere’s alwaysa wayto a homeI know(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” Vwands,January 16, 2014) -
But Consequence Exceeds Desire
And if all unfolded as I wished,every desire would begin a kiss;the last glass of wine would withholdthe drunken weeping of the old.Then I could sit in self-satisfactionreceiving all through my inaction.Such are the smug reflectionswhen privilege has no correction.(from a work in progress, “Aracana,” IXCups, January 15, 2014) -
evangelical encounters
by
on my waywhistlinghappynot thinkingI don’t knowit doesn’t matterthe day is bluethe park is greenthey just wantto talk a bita bita horse’s bitI thinkthey knowthey thinkI am thirstyI must thirstthey knowit is their desertthey waitin an oasistheir oasisno miragethey know I yearnI mustfor their waterthey assumethey knowthey thinkthey arenot a miragethey are nottheir ownillusionthey cannot escapetheir mindsthey knowsand fills their lungsthey cannotspeakto methey have no waterI am not thirsty(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” Acecups, January 14, 2014) -
Theory and Practice
He intuitsthe world’swhere and why,abstracts,adeptlylike a danceralongthe shore,the essencefrom its shell;but, the whatand howthe world’swantedto be seeneludes hismisperceptions.People liketo seethe show,be dazzledby the practicalmagic uponthe stage.They claimthey trulywant to know,but preferthat thoughtremainwell hidden.The wayhe arrived,which trailand turnled him here,does not matter:his experiencehas noconsequenceto the finalaccountingat the door.He standsupon the stage,jugglesthree coinsinto the air,then vanishesbeforethey soundupona ground.(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” PagePentacles, January, 14, 2014) -
breach
by
tears wait impatientlyto tear through the thinauras pulsing aboutme like aberrant tidesthe emotional sedimentabrades my skin furthersmoothing the differencebetween control’s pretenceand the cascade hoveringone heart beat’s throbaway from collapse(January 12, 2014) -
Reading Poetry
licking the skyin seditious ecstasythe words igniteoff the pagelittle flowersof flame bloominglike Pentecostal firesabove our heads(January 11, 2014) -
Insomnia Asleep
I wake to a room full of snowyou are crying nearbyI am trapped in a snow banksprinkled with red berriesI can’t stay warma black line like syrupcurves between usI can’t console yousleep becomes dreameda sound in another rooma joke I can hearbut don’t understandI wake yet againthe room is silent and dark(January 10, 2014) -
my faith
the staff flowersfrom the fracturesof my heartand in thisbeatific visionI trustas beforeand will againthe momentwhich tonguesthe airbetween usto be trueand from thisfallow groundthe tree willtangle earthand skyinto morethan Icouldever know(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” Acewands, January 10, 2014) -
within the space of a class
by
my students are notmirrorsI do not seemyself in themI find themwithin meand talkto a wiser selfaboutthe fragilityof trustthe danger of fearthe eternityof hopeand misunderstanding’sloneliness(January 8, 2014) -
Catalyst
at homewith friendsand familydinner and winesimple conversationa simple celebrationof each othera simple recognitionof each otherherewithin this houseis where we areherewithin this housethe world transforms(from a work in progress: “Arcana, ”IVwands, January 8, 2014) -
Erato’s Advice
roll their tonguesinside your mouthkissing their wordsas if theywere your loversand in the afterglowstrip off allthat is not yoursand speak(January 7, 2014) -
Turning
“……as a Chinese jar stillMoves perpetually in its stillness.”–T.S. EliotThe sky’s cleared,stars shinewithin thisdepthless black.Stand here.The sun will rise,you know thisas true – –your darkwill fall away;stand here,and welcome the day.You decideyour clarity.(from a work in progress, “Arcana,” Aceswords, January 7, 2014) -
wake into it
the dream shatters into my daywith all its fear and self-recriminationslicing deeply into all I believeI rip at the flesh on my faceto peel like leeches the horrorsof what I’ve done to myselfmy screams’ echoes reverberateoff the fragments of my bones
towards time’s hot beginnings(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” IXswords, January 6, 2014) -
warm praise
I show disdain for the praise of othersyet we’re all such communal animalsthat the smallest word of kindness growsbeyond the constrained measures of my heartI feel guilt for harboring such prideafraid of being seen as arrogantfor taking joy in my accomplishmentshowever small and insignificantthe seeds I plant and protect as they growgive me more than merely something to dothere’s value in being the one in the roomvalue in being one who sees valueso to keep me warm through this long cold nightI once again gather up my scraps of praise(from a work in progress: “Arcana,” VIWands, January 6, 2014)
subtext 