You

...
You started reading. You could say something. Anything. Right now.
You could lift your head up from the page, look around, see if there
are people around or if you're in a room by your lonesum. Not that
You don't already know. You do. You could say something aloud;
You could read the bacteria on the wall if you tried hard enough;
You could announce how you feel for once; You could say anything;
You could say something aloud; What wouldn't you say aloud?
You keep reading. Have you ever thought about interruption?
Remember those times you let your blurts out? What happened
afterward? How does it make you feel now? You still read.
You could say something aloud. Say something aloud. Say it.
Say what you would say to someone that's not even there.
Say anything. Make something up. Say 'squilp'. Really say it.
You keep reading. You think the word 'words' a little bit.
You think. Say 'Go' ...You stopped reading for a moment.

NEH, 2008.

FACE CARDS

FACE CARDS


the old
Queen of Spleens
will not . allow her
legions . to ask
'Why?'

so
the Jester,
Deuce of Hearts,
asked, 'How come?'

d oo m
set in

NEH, 2007

she had an electric heart

she had an electric heart
blood valves which with minor pumps & spurts
let loose venomous wattage of shocks profuse

the sky knew her demands
vocal chords emptied hatred coupled longing
confusion eaten whole in a shrieked disbelief

trees broke in her conquests
she shoved a catapult in a canon & aimed it at herself
crashed with more wrath than jubilant eggs trapped in a piñata

she had an electric heart
which no one feared
save her own breast

NEH, 2007.

E & A got in a sentimental argument.

A walked over to E, unswerving.
E said: 'I found it overtly sentimental'.
A replied: 'People say "sentimental" too often as offensive'.
E slapped A to the ground, raised right palm down:
'People are the main problem of this planet'!
A, shaken, stood & directed its retort at an over-angle:
'Sentimentality is an immanently visceral, carnal gut feeling!
It cannot be mitigated, nor suppressed!
Which is not to say it cannot be repressed ...it can:
A person can always train themselves for more ignorences'.
E paused, & asked: 'Who wants a lightbulb that last forever?
Imaginary great grandchildren may pass it on, save a little'.
A walked away. E sat down, & ate the lightbulb.

NEH, 2007.

humanity is the definition of an animal

animal > noun

1 a living organism which feeds on organic matter, has specialized sense organs,
_ a nervous system, & is generally able to move about & respond to stimuli.
2 a mammal, thus a human being; as opposed to a bird, reptile, fish, insect, or
_ bacteria.

animal > adjective

3 a particular type of person or thing (a party animal or a political animal)
4 a person whose efforts are physical &-or carnal rather than intellectual
_ &-or spiritual

humanity is the definition of an animal

NEH, 2007

the LOTTERY

Crapshoot venture chance doubledare rapid risk fuck it
poor thrown daily dice at future children
"good luck" greeted with surprise thanks or reluctant jinx

"Attention:
'god peed'.

Attention!
wasteful consumers,
a human idea has grown so powerful, so puissant...
it has urinated the marginal possibility of wealth!"

Dull to shrill, inconsistent beeping, ...recycled reminders
cash? credit? debit? verifiable currency? debt?
please rattle off an excessive string of numbers that identifies you
or just give us the last four digits
aching heels, banal discrepancies

"god peed,
all over this land"

Thank your local
menial gas station co-worker
tear off ticket, pay with hand
pay to lose dignity for attempted luck

NEH, 2008