Absorption

by Brenda Iijima


Where a cardinal settles is a dome of magenta.
The chrysanthemums on fire after a rainstorm.
Passion distillation in a sheet of aluminum.
The plane cuts through the suddenness of sky.

Where the tree meets the electric pole on the
street. Endless repetition of circular columns.
The green of this tree is the green of his eyes.
His eyes ricochet from tree to seeing her.

Time absorbs the music. A flare converts the fight.
In the mirror, fervor, in the canyon, lightening.
O excellent creatures wrapped in garments,
strewn are sensations idle not, nor diamond.

Halfway there to one's boldest hope. The back
of a dollar bill. Options: occultation absorbing
into. Autonomous not for passion, not for vision.
The completion of joining the one in love by color.






from Word for Word (Vol. 3; Winter 2002)

The Argument

by Catherine Wagner


This book is called Hypneratomachia Fuckphila.
Fuckfila on her journey her new spelling
reminiscent of Chick-Fil-A. Fill the
chick and filler well of ding ding dong.
Fuckin' A. Behold a useful and
profitable book. If you think otherwise,
do not lay the blame on the book, but on yourself. If you sourly refuse
the new erotic guest, do not despise
the well-ordered sequence nor the fine
well-ordered style. Then in this volume
she falls in love. It is a worthy book, and full
of many ornaments: he who will not read it
is dull of mind. Various things are treated in it
which it would tire me to relate, but accept
the work which offers a cornucopia
emending it should it be incorrect. The End.






from My New Job (Fence Books, 2009)

FRUIT OF THE SEASON'S SLUSH FUND

by Kate Colby


Being that
she's always to be found
in space made by concertina wire
a drab and tattering habit fashioned
by many charming seasons


               (the gray sound of spokes
               yelled deuce behind the baseline —
               courted trapping in a tennis skirt)


For what it's worth, preferring
a third, green rail, fifth wheel,
wrenched at the rhumb line, scabs
pushing barbs, ragged paths by what passes
for a pick-up in the night.


Picked up and driven home:
the Post Road pitted with sown salt, hitching
posts adrift in dirty snow
and stonewalling
in the rearview mirror, a semblance
of permafrost
making all shoes insensible.


Let down, rather
than recoiled
from time
in time for the local pandemic


of porchlight, inoculating
a revival of whist
under the weather.


What's more:
her paper fan-shaped frock
unfolding
into little dead places.






from Fruitlands (Litmus Press, 2006)

[I cannot help but by some sweet pill be devoured]

by Joshua Beckman


I cannot help but by some sweet pill be devoured
she said - dancing and looking and helping people
with their thoughts - and then she had the baby -
and then you were running around and taking care of
everything - the lip, the thoughtful people. Financially
I'm made of music. Spiritually, I'm all full of cookies.
Great watchers and listeners and people with rings -
sit down beside your beloved for soon everyone
will be up and everyone will be asking questions.
The loud stuffing of people into corners with other people
and then the beautiful special people with skin kissing
each other. Why does the morning seem all draggy and alive?
There's no answer - just stand - and smarts - all curious.
Quiet is what the space said, quiet like tomorrow.






from Take It (Wave Books, 2009)

Conjugal trees

by Michael Sikkema



blossom in the doll factory


             In the bottle gentians

                in heart-shaped pills



Half-number half-ant-static,


      he never gets


          the letter

that says “look”






from My Name is Mud

check

by Christopher Mulrooney


and mate
indeed all her progeny
the Queen of rubber
bouncing back into walls
erected under similar circumstances
though rather different auspices
much the same in the way of hopes as hipped the
phrenologist
feels his quirks and mental jive
propagating the universe

but it is the remote control tells the tale
at arm's length
so the big plan by cracky by geezer by gums
cracks his pod and dry big remains of a flower ensue






from My Name is Mud

Adagia, 1-50

by Daniel Nester


1. All friends become your enemies.
2. All friends will hate you equally. This will never change.
3. Not important now? Not important to your parents.
4. All whores think they are good-looking.
5. Fight what’s fixed, but accurately.
6. Nod; resolve.
7. As the dodo hums, asswipe.
8. Prayer and puppies.
9. Fromunda.
10. Horrible cheese. Or so it seems.
11. All at once; synched.
12. Sail and fail, both in circles.
13. Double up, anchor down, share faults.
14. This sin on your fabulous head.
15. Sacred inside. Included with this offer.
16. The horrible inside. Also included with this offer.
17. Copied understandings, never meet on top.
18. Begin on top.
19. Then rest on the bottom.
20. New? The world in a coat.
21. Maximum call allowed.
22. Avoid Egytian clams.
23. Kings and tiaras don’t mix.
24. Solve your sacred self. For cryin’ out loud.
25. Move your feet off the sacred lines.
26. Live nude, but only inside your house.
27. Because were make laws, not because we don’t listen.
28. See—say, puny. Freeze.
29. Piss off caterers at your own risk.
30. I know I’m bored with my job.
31. Accept the bad, save your stomach.
32. A naughty drink is the only proper medicine.
33. I am a man, you are a man. Frick it.
34. Let’s thank each other at the same time.
35. And so it’s your turn to be the refereee.
36. Eat girls’ periods out.
37. Crass Minerva. Minerva the iguana. Crass music.
38. All poets have big heads.
39. A message to you, Rudy.
40. Your own wisdom.
41. And with your own wisdom, suspicion.
42. Invite your own wisdom.
43. A bull and a girl in the field.
44. Each year you get older by a year.
45. And in life.
46. Important navigation.
47. One’s last boss always leaves strongest the strongest impression.
48. The total way is wrong.
49. All the heaven’s mistakes.
50. All your worst friends know each other.






from Spooky Boyfriend (Issue #2)