rob mclennan

shrapnel

for derek beaulieu
 

                                the body, gives
                                out
                                        : twinkle
 

                a star a

                wash
 
 
 

                                                oh baby

                        the cut
                                        : of jibness
                        glib
                                in the act
 
 

*
 
 

                        tailor delays
                                                the free-fall

                        / hardest cut

                        complaint
 
 
 

                                                                        a tree-trunk

                                                        axe

                                                                laden, heavy
 
 

*
 
 

                                                                        gives

                & takes away:

                                                a tear
 
 

                                blood work done to sort the cells
 
 
 

                        an imitation of pleasure
                        of text on his/her lover’s abdomen
 
 
 

                                                would we write this ?
 
 

*
 
 

                                                conscript the lines

                                                the draft, close the door
                                                                to incoming
 

                                                        against their own will
 
 

                to testify against the fact
 

                hard-ball is played
 
 

                                        a tether on a stick
 
 

*
 
 

                                                a limitless purse:
 

                        the day we entered, the two towers
                        of light
 

                                full-blossoming, & strange
 

                                                        a cut the artery
 
 

*
 
 

                        moreover & whatnot
 

                        a convict’s pleasure, hands
                                        waving
 

                                the soundtrack of a city
                                                        Chicago
 

                                                : poems
                                                : band
                                                : musical
 
 

                                        is, where

                                                                he wanted to go
 
 

*
 
 

                                        the figure, full
                cut
                        an extension
 

                identifying marks

                                                a skin
                                                a bone
 
 
 

                                these things edify our selves

                        a cold brutality
 
 

*
 
 

                        pen is less sharp
                                                        pencil
 
 

                                        O
 
 

                fatherless muse, bastard
                                eggs on the drive
 
 

*
 
 

                out the bay
                of windows
 

                                                bone
 

        things go
 
 
 

                                madness
 
 

                       jihad
 
 
 

                                        on overdrive
 

*
 
 

                        slice the heart
 

                thin
 
 

                        skin
 

                                        outdoor
 
 

                        mayonnaise
 
 

                                into
 
 

*
 
 

                                                the noise of Bluebeard
                                                when you’re the one
 
 
 

                would that be, a
 
 
 

                                        chance at
 
 

                        in belonging,
 
 
 

                                                        would
 
 

*
 
 

                        not like anything left
                        reduced

                        panoptic
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                her medals in the glass case

                                                same weight as a cookbook
 
 

03.12.05
 

<^>

inter/linear


((((((((( The Alterran Poetry Assemblage ))))))))) 
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