Rachel Barns - I'm all about reciting the alphabet like big bird

abc abcdg acdefg abcdg abc abdeg acdefg acdfg acdefg acdfg abdeg abcdef acdefg aefg acdefg acdefg abdeg abcdef abc bcfg acdefg abcdefg acdefg acdfg abdeg abcdef acdefg abcdg acdefg aefg acdefg bcdeg acdefg bcdeg acdefg bc abdeg abcdef bcdeg abcefg acdefg abcdefg acdefg aefg acdefg aefg acdefg bcfg abdeg bcdeg abc abc bcdeg abcefg acdefg abcdfg acdefg adefg acdefg cdefg abcdg abcefg acdefg acdefg 

bcdeg abcefg acdefg aefg abc abcdefg abdeg bcdeg acdefg abc bcdeg abcefg acdefg deg acdefg aefg abc acdefg acdefg acdfg bcdeg abcefg abdeg adefg bcdeg abcefg abdeg abcdfg bcdeg abcefg abc acdfg acdefg adefg abc abcdg abc abcdef acdefg bc abc abdeg acdefg abcdfg acdefg adefg acdefg abc abdeg abcdef abc 

bcfg acdefg acdfg abc abdeg abc abdeg acdefg bc acdefg abcdg acdefg aefg abc bcfg abc bcfg acdefg bc bcdeg abcefg adefg cdefg aefg abcdef deg adefg abcdefg abcdfg abcdg abdeg acdefg aefg abcdfg deg abcdg acdfg abdeg 

bcfg deg deg acdefg abcdefg deg bc acdefg bcdeg cdefg abcdfg bcdeg abc bcdeg cdefg abc abcdg abdeg acdefg abcdef acdefg acdfg abcdef bcdeg acdefg cdefg abcdef aefg acdfg abcdef abcdef abcdg acdfg abcdfg acdfg abcdef deg abcdef bcfg abcefg abc abdeg abcdef abcdg bc abcdfg acdefg abc acdfg abdeg abcdef bcdeg 

abcefg adefg aefg abcdfg acdefg bc abcdfg abcdef abcdfg bcfg abcefg adefg deg abc bcfg deg cdefg deg abcefg acdefg bcdeg abcdefg bc deg adefg bcfg bc bcdeg abcdefg abcdfg abcdef abcdef bcfg acdfg abcdef acdefg abc bcfg abcdef bc bcdeg abcefg acdefg acdefg abcdfg abcefg abcefg cdefg bcfg deg abc cdefg 

abcdef cdefg abcdfg deg abcdg abcefg abc abcdefg bcdeg abdeg bcfg abcdg abcdg cdefg abcefg abdeg abcdg aefg abdeg abcefg deg abdeg aefg abcdg abcdfg abcdg abcefg bcfg aefg acdefg abcdefg abc abcdefg abcefg aefg aefg abcdefg bcfg bcdeg abcdefg abc abc abcdefg acdefg deg bc acdefg bc abcdfg deg abcefg bc aefg abcdef abdeg abcdef abcdg adefg abc cdefg bcfg acdfg abcdefg bcfg aefg acdefg abdeg abc 

abcdefg acdefg cdefg aefg aefg abc abcdg abcefg adefg adefg bcfg bc cdefg adefg abcdg bc bcfg aefg abcdefg abdeg acdefg bcfg deg bcdeg abc abcdg abcdef abcdefg abcdef bcfg bcdeg acdfg bc acdefg cdefg cdefg adefg abcefg abcdg acdfg aefg bcfg deg bcfg abdeg acdefg abcdefg adefg abdeg abcdefg abc aefg abdeg 

abcdef aefg acdfg abc adefg cdefg acdefg aefg bc acdefg adefg bcdeg abcdg bcfg adefg acdefg abdeg deg abcefg cdefg acdefg abdeg aefg cdefg adefg cdefg abcdfg abcdefg cdefg abcdg adefg abcdefg abcdfg adefg bcfg cdefg acdfg bc abcdefg abcefg bc acdefg abcefg bcfg bcdeg abcdefg abcdefg abcdg adefg cdefg 

acdefg acdefg bcdeg abdeg abcdfg abcdef aefg abcdef abc deg bcfg abdeg abcdefg bcdeg acdfg abcefg abdeg abcdef deg acdfg bcdeg bcfg acdfg deg abcdg abdeg bcfg abdeg abcdfg cdefg bc bc abcdfg bcfg acdefg acdefg bcfg aefg abc abcefg abdeg abcdg abcdef abcdfg aefg adefg acdfg deg acdfg cdefg abdeg abdeg bc bcfg 

abc abcdef bcfg abcdefg abcdef abcefg acdefg deg bc cdefg bcfg abcefg acdefg abc deg aefg cdefg bcfg abcdfg acdefg abc abdeg deg acdefg deg abcdg bcdeg deg cdefg abcefg abcefg abcefg bc cdefg acdfg deg adefg cdefg abcdef acdfg acdefg bcfg adefg adefg abdeg deg acdefg abcdefg abcdef aefg bc cdefg bc 

abcdfg cdefg abcdefg aefg abdeg acdefg abc bcdeg cdefg acdfg aefg abcdef bc abcdefg abcdfg bcfg cdefg acdefg acdefg abcdef cdefg bc acdfg abcefg adefg abcdg abcdg abcefg acdfg abcefg bcdeg abc acdfg acdfg bcdeg cdefg abcdef cdefg bc abcdfg abcdef bcfg abcdg abcdfg abc deg abcdfg abdeg cdefg

Brennan Burnside - Basement: the first week of December

 December 1 

1982 Office Depot stainless-steel pair of left-handed 

scissors, 8” ground blades, dark brown droplets along edge 

of each blade, 1 cm ring of rust around pivot screw, both 

bows wrapped in duct tape. 

 

December 2 

Three 2” tall molded glass Mason jars in northwest 

corner of room placed vertically along wall, brass-colored 

lid on each jar, jars farthest from northwest corner 

contain mulberry-colored substance, jar directly against 

corner absent hermetic rubber seal contain mulberry 

substance in bottom half and dark green substance in 

top half, all jars labeled “summer 2008”. 

 

December 3 

1’X3’X2’ corrugated box in southeast corner, 

box flaps open, broken pre-printed ULINE 

masking tape from middle of left side to 

left flap and right to middle of right flap of 

box, tape has repeated design of red hexagon 

with word “STOP” in white Arial font in center 

of hexagon followed by red Arial font ”IF SEAL 

IS BROKEN CHECK CONTENTS BEFORE 

ACCEPTING”, water damage along bottom of 

box reaching up 0.5” on each side of box, box 

empty except for 384 granules of silver glitter. 

 

 

December 4 

Lilac, blue and purple polyvinyl chloride tinsel, 

each 17”X1”, tinsel curled into small cone of 

three levels against plaster wall 5’ south of 

center of basement, each tinsel level a different color 

with purple on bottom, blue in middle, lilac on top, 

0.10” of bright red tinsel fluff resting in lilac tinsel. 

 

December 5 

Porcelain white Crane cast iron sink on floor, no faucet, 

no knobs, three holes with abrasion on sink top, 1’ 

backsplash with 7” hairline fracture beginning at sink top, 

bowl of sink 6”X42”, 1/2 cm width ring of rust around 

keyhole-shaped center hole on sink top, olive green cladosporium 

growing from empty hole in center of bowl, no drain. 

 

 

December 6 

12” brass rod with black rubber tips on 

each end in center of room laying on 

side point both north-north east and 

south-south west, two .02” deep dents 

in center of rod, dents .02” apart, scuff 

marks on left rubber tip. 

 

 

December 7 

Circle of sixteen E26 incandescent 120-volt 

quartz light bulbs, shards of two smashed E27 

incandescent 230-volt light bulbs and bright 

red tinsel fluff in center. 

Andrew Macdonald - Of Khlebnikov I & III

i

It is that sound commands logic blocked,

inverts conundrums 

their stalemates opining—

mere surfaces a placed dream conducts

to ornament that hungry want 

of newness language does.

But with these scores,

their dictions of no purpose, 

are hand-outs of bills soft contesting

the crack in the conscious 

mind combats of

when it’s found the 

energy wielding best of conditions.

Now it is hate purports what 

harm we’ve done them

our forced machinations assenting

the grammared will

of poetry alone

its power made dulcet.

***

iii

Silence connotes held-in fears,

unuttered notations

rinsing the back of the mind

wet with intending.

Its sounds convulse

if put to paper,

form parcel teased of

as when what 

should not be spoken

gets graphemed on palettes

of numbered worlds

our thoughts pertain them.

And then what builds

is denuded of whispers

(those careful breaths contriving)

to grow a talking flesh

its fast from life renounced on

this scaffold of higher truths

sense of force brings with.

Bill Jeffreys - Hollow Green

Hollow Green
Of
Hollow Green
Of
Hollow Green
Of
Hollow Green
Of
Hollow Green
The abutments
Of
The gravedigger

And

Without
Sinus
Eater
Stump
Have Sinus Eater Stump
Macintosh Train
The belch
Of about
Of about
Have Sinus Eater Stump
Have Sinus Eater Stump
Macintosh Train
The belch
Of
Hollow Green
Of about
Of about
Macintosh Train
The gravedigger

And
Without
Macintosh Train
The belch
Of about
Of about
Of abutments
The gravedigger

Hollow Green

Of

Hollow Green

Of

Hollow Green

Of

Hollow Green

 

The belch

Of about

Of about

Of about

Off Of about

The belch Of about

And Without 

The gravedigger

Stump

The Grease Leaks

And

Without

Of about

Of about

Of

And

Without

Of

John Grey - Two Pieces

1. SITUATIONAL

In the sky,

the aerial attack 

of you with him –

 

something shiny on the 

avenue —

you see he could not be 

but 

by his glance,

called woman

can you emerge completely unharmed? 

lie back 

shadows are swaying

dust is on the rise

the air will tear your heart out

don’t you feel it beginning? 

glance hissing 

something other than

happy ever after –

gripping a piece of paper,

staring deep into it –

just a poem

and I’m no longer married to it –

I’m disappearing –

I’ve been taken in –

by a tunnel,

by a lake,

by poison,

by the professor of astronomy

who raises his eyebrows

in the direction of the stars –

yet there’s a presence in me

that pulling together

all sides –

I remember 

rubble and hissing

and this great urge to remain.

***

2. A WOULD-BE LOTHARIO

always a little on fire 

and my loins to answer to

always seeing another's eyes, nose, mouth –

   anything that can spill,

but never the backbones of real life,

arranged in shapes and years,

enough to have me buzzing,

thumping like a bumpy train ride –

and then there’s love –

body parts

by the most languorous indirect route –

forget about it!

once again,

the chatter of nearby flesh

is a church under construction,

crackling thighs and dresses

that could split anywhere,

creatures of imperfect camouflage,

I’m as moist

as a dandelion in April –

(crowds of people,

dry and vapid,

shifting chairs)

and then there’s the face 

in the darkest thunderhead,

the double agent,

the glance taking leave of its liquid,

with gargoyles in suits

swapping fingers –

I’m trying to get out from under my history,

gleaming through whichever door opens,

hiding my layers of ghosts,

looking for words to defend the stain on my pants,

holding myself for the moment

but eager to let go

disguising the past,

building up a reservoir of suggestions,

milling in a world of shapes

and expressions,

hoping something forgotten

will suddenly remember me,

each drop of alcohol

leading me by the shaky hand,

looking for the one who knows no better,

somewhere in this room,

a storm in a vacuum,

plucking at my pockets,

smoothing my knuckles like they’re brass,

wishing I was Jesus

or whoever else is worshiped in these parts –

fellow workers look on

as all I need is just one lapse in concentration,

only the one,

a meet-cute fulfilling a day-dream,

masking my roots,

egged on by phantoms in the beer,

Don Juan legends,

raising myself like a statue

then severing myself from the block –

ah, look at her,

skin the color of  someone on a copper coin,

hope I don’t spill on myself

as I spin her hair like webs,

steal her moments from all other men –

this is my country,

and it’s taking the orders I give it –

two lives I lead,

the shy and the confident,

the first innate,

the second alien

with no planet to go home to.

David Jalajel - 5 Poems

 1. emissions/

 

smoggily soft and of the perfect weight

hangs over inexhaustible locales

our night’s itiner’y insists we leave

5+stars to its too shimmering

city scenes’ dazzled bustle to achieve

multi-scale guitar attacks 8-string

tunes of cute cartoonish quiddity

defines the clock we’re propping up to play

whimsic’ly the measures of machine

painted cogs that turn against each swing

the pendulum of industry veers back

banging the bell of seasonal foul air

 

as the thick quilts of smog enwrap themselves

around our city lights this workday night

 

***

2.spin/

 

nothing beats that freshly minted street

style goes viral syncopated rhythms

tap against our lax capacity

to shift our lazy asses right on down

to their more stable equilibrium

cycle clicks over like their metronome

synchronised budget covers random stress

ticks every box we stack against the tempo 

marking quirks of on-the-job performance

sketches our down time costs them vital stats

update their work assessments setting out

to market hard and push that single use

 

our potent mix of pop-inflected charm

gets all your post-paid hearts to beat as one

 

 

***

3. enthy-meme/

 

facts & good reasons never good enough

to learn the root conceptual binary

people connect with seeming too sincere

fair-minded knowledge swapping out the logic

speaks for its audience accounts for moral

patronage entails intuitive

rather than discursive radical

commitment to decolonising gender

signified commands & warnings more

than praise & promises of future pay

your sincere faith with certainty the moment

it lands you down in disbelief i fear

 

the biases of our good spectators

to whom i pose once more a change of heart

 

***

4. convictions/

 

how disquietude must stem in part

from what quaint nature lends degraded value

read into late religious heresies

studied against the spectrum of our travels

down wetlands sampling acid mine effluent

diffusing through to their indigenous

inclusive ancient polytheisms

the old semitic food truck’s menu’s barely

legible icons flash from the touch tablets

swallowed to cure with aromatic salts

precipitate as waste whose caustic sheen

bestows on nature its bright fervent lustre

 

extruding slowly from the 3D printer

a model of impaired immune response

 

***

5. dialled-up/

 

over excessive higher frequency

shock value added stimulus provoking

disclosures of declassified first-person

perspective limits viable preventive

measures successive failures to enhance

responses from repeated assignations

link tantalising journeys round the world’s

spiritual successors morally

bankrupt high street fatalities

result from faulty test equipment newly

deployed with eager haste but lacking training

videos replay incessantly

 

entice a fatal dearth of inhibition

commingling deep repulsion with delight