Love, Families, Bears, Shoes

the moon in the window
the story of a war —
[ ]just one story, always the same one
always the same moon too

we talk about love, families, bears, shoes

tonight, you look different
though you walk the same
[ ]as if the sky’s omniscience would appease
[ ]that monster we know
tonight, you look the same

I’ve made a list of things I like about you

in the window, the war looms
its monster head obscures
imagination (some pictures, some frames)
[ ]in the window, my reflection
[ ]plus the moon

'love’ is a word written next to the skin

Mr. Fedorov with Shakespeare and coffee

Mr. Fedorov with Shakespeare and coffee
Originally uploaded by Gertrude Stein.

Or, These Little Piggies

this little piggy took the bus home, drunk
crying oui oui oui
and felt vaguely sad all the way

this little (sneeze)
this little vagary
effect only guesses at cause
cause deletes the effort

this little piggy studied the market
and found supply and demand
to be
a sham

this little tweak
is necessary

supply and effect
cause and demand

this little piggy
offers up advice
and this little piggy takes it

often we are
in this position

this little piggy can’t sleep at night

forfeit the remains
or is that
another story?

Entitled

merkurmap
Originally uploaded by Gertrude Stein.

Lacrosse Stick Acrostics

Last night I had
A dream that you were in my dream. Same
Conversation, different face. The sign said
Reach. The
Others went one by one,
Stepping around,
Stepping over
Each interval.

So, you
Think
I
Can
Kiss?

Allright. Let’s
Cross that
Roof when we come to it.
Or let’s just
Stay here.
Telepathy
Isn’t what it used to be.
Capiche?





Leave well enough
Alone.
Catastrophe strikes, the
Rest of us go
On. To
School or to the
Stables, where-
Ever we belong.

Strategy won’t get you
There. The secret way
In is through the
Chimney. Let’s get
Kinetic.

Altogether history is on the side of the
Chickens.
Roosting, roasting; accusing each
Other ridiculously.
Stop kidding yourself.
The only other article
Is under the
Covers.

we dance to no avaiL
along the way, A
new spark, zinC
explodes in wateR
this has a dominO
effect on NarcissuS
who is disturbed by the rippleS
in the lakE

unlessS
the after-effecT
is quasI
deliberate we mimiC
whenever we talK

yet another way A
star is born. This antiC
doesn’t go faR
on the way tO
the other café. DistresS
belittles the resT
I
resist this crazy arC

one too many

catseyenebula
Originally uploaded by Gertrude Stein.

I come from this solar system
the lady of erasure lives here too
will reach down and lean over to pick up something dropped
like your mottled sky
(in the rose garden, evil)
maintains
my fever for sale in the Orvis catalog
a big boat and the smaller boats we lived in
[absent line]
both
tried to remember the names later with coffee

cat thump, rainy friday

pennyfarthing
Originally uploaded by Gertrude Stein.

whose life is on fire? this turmoil
is located in the middle, in the middle of the body
of evidence

the rain stains the window like a sheet — that is, a thin solid expanse
like a dancer — that is, impetuous
like light — that is, pined for not lost
like 'nature' — that is, possible
like arrival — that is, abrasive

a curse runs through the street
a curve in the middle of the sidewalk
in this instance, taken but not spent
one falls, we all fall (ashes, ashes)
the actual symbol detonates
we all fall down

7 may 2005

Darkness Fails Again

let's begin with particulars, I said yes
and you asked me a question. then
you said yes and there was nothing
to demand. you said the box in your pocket
was a camera but now I know better.
the glimmer in your eyes
gives you away. away.

you, who have taught me how
everything is small but nothing
is little. you have given me
this smallness, its true
immensity. propounds.

dissimilarity is never
that obvious.

placing things into your hands,
you, the outside of you,
touching the outside of me,
my hands. you hold me.

there's a swirl of dark near the bottom
of the cup. my hands are full.