Mannequin Envy is published in memory of Douglas Gamrath
Barn Door by Douglas Gamrath
left alone words
by Douglas Gamrath
allow shifting
between long and short
show this student the mercy
your lover feels
give him an opening to die for
play with clocks not time
hold your only possessions
in one fist
as infinity held in its place
given to neck craning
what wind is hot in our single mind
is it a one thing or two or mass
your face comes in my turbulent bed
to wake me and toy and flicker needs
invent a number for not quite yet
mind please, press moist lips against
and confuse my retina never kissed till you
trap us inside your desire
barb us, cleave our will
apply the leather blinders of forwardness
press clove near wound
make us crawl the mile of your legs
invite the break of lust to rabid fever
transfer a single olive to my cavity
please, understand
From the Archives:
Dancing with Hart Crane
He didn't let on
he was
a poet but do they ever do they
even in bed
what he said what he did say was watch
this and in the middle of The Blue
Danube
he waltzed away from me
with his eyes closed and backed off the ledge
into the pool which had been drained
did he know that who knows and covered with a tarp stretched
over it so no one would fall in
and hurt
himself but dumb me leave it to me oh God
I said are you hurt and he was floating on his back in waves
of black canvas with his arms and legs
spread out like he was still
falling and he giggled like a girl
saying
hurt hurt you syphilitic cunt can't
you see
it fucking hurts all over
James Lineberger
|
