This brain
cranks a thousand volts
darts
to view from every angle, juxta-
poses
this and that
won't stop working
making, looking
sees too much  /  too little
is far too clever  /  stupid


~ ~ ~


Sharing a Table in the Library

her snot is slow and glucky
[puke quietly] sustains a series
of slow glucky snot movements
[puke my lunch into her lap]
careful, non-explosive snot movements
[inhibit instinctive response] she's
noticed me, stands and glucks off
to the toilets, I guess, private session
Civilisation is buoyant


~ ~ ~



I'm thinking of a soldier in the First World War
caught on barbed wire, dying
He's going back through his years
as if a young life will bring to focus
all the good within the smoke and confusion

He passes away at night
through clouds
a cracked sky



~ ~ ~