Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Darren C. Demaree - EMILY AS


***
EMILY AS THE PARACHUTE DESCENDED WITHOUT A BODY

There are some lists
that need to be burned
before we can believe

that gravity isn’t just
a possibility.  I gave up
a soul without knowing

if it was mine.  I tasted
all of the cranberries
before I spit them out.

I looked up at the sky
to watch the fabric drape
the blue momentarily

& I assumed (still do)
that the hand that held
mine was Emily’s.

*** 
EMILY AS A SONG WRITTEN BY HAZEL ENGLISH

We asked for the pause
of the Technicolor
so our blood could spin

with a firm reality
& the fog, the fog came
all on its own.  We left

Ohio so we could leave
Ohio.  That cost us
our hips.  We still tingle

for the full words,
but all this driving
has become addicting.

***
EMILY AS SHE SUGGESTS THAT SHE MIGHT LIKE TO BECOME MORE LIKE THE EMILY IN THESE POEMS

I want to hit you,
Emily said, I’ve never hit anyone
before.  I agreed

to this lone spasm
of violence, because I have
dedicated myself

to cataloging her spasms,
to inventing her spasms, to fiction-
alizing her spasms in a way

that leads to her tasting them,
poorly.  She spits at me
a lot.  I have some regrets.


Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Casimir Wojciech - STUDIES OF LIGHT


1.

Beyond 
beyond
cells &
padded walls
candlelit  
in heat &
lapse  training the mind
the mind
not to sway  portends
magnification of promisary
folly

silouhettes
steer the eyes
the eyes
beat the drum
the heart
the heart
opens mouths
like litmus moths shed
ticking  tocking garments
of nostalgia 

always torward the light 
eases from the tongue
all traces of position &
hope


2.

The light bends through circular
groves of an opening hand
citric finger nails in a plastic cup
spill over into the street  tapping
against veins of the air

& reminds "me" voices
in the trees  always singing  how
deserts fade in  
and out the fulcrum of sleep 
always
the shadow  one step 
ahead of "your" 
meddeling

driven to witness
the splitting of
tongues amongst
secret windows &
loss of reverie  


3.

"My" hand moves 
across the page 
& cathedrals crumble 
a prayer captive in the stomach
for a hundred years, etc. 
saxophones carried 
by the throat 
through dark alley ways  
shadows erupt manifold.

"I" have vanquished 
midnight with smoke alone  how
can it be? Nameless 
& threshed from the body
sorrow distills 
contours solace  

Debugged illuminations 
ricochet from 
nested mirrors  fixed
atoms of creation
myths herded into
mangled prayers
of "our" tomorrow: 
I know the abyss, eyes 
"are" windows.
In all directions  
in all times & all places
the light permits us to come true.

Monday, October 15, 2018

Joseph Bouthiette Jr. - LEGEND 104




Important information: “this one / wood / river”
Everything is here.
You love mom.
Positive: “follow all efforts.”
Everything is here.
But it is not possible.
What are we doing?
Photo:
[me]
You do not know.
Name:
This is major.
Everything is here.
"Price."
-1-
Give me more time, But it does not matter by my mother.
Tell me: eat.
Your job?
Also see.
You have a place.
July 20th.
But I appreciate you: "this one / late / maximum / faultless”
Do you see that?
Your house is not being processed.
Name:
The command is: “forgive me.”
I have seen mutual relationships.
Job.
Is there food?
I'm not sure you're not afraid.
I love you.
Important information: “do / not / think so”
-100-
You want that.
Important information: “it's for you.”
What is this religion?
I love you.
Get started.
“Dynasty.”
-3-
You do not know: “easy.”
Positive: “you.”
Money and bets.
It does not matter.
Photo:
[you]
View many people.
I said: “tell me / now”
I hope for you:
[me]

Dragmacidon lunaecharta. Agelas cervicornis. Artemisina melana. Neopetrosia subtriangularis. Cliona delitrix. Spirastrella coccinea. Asteropus niger. Geodia neptuni. Higginsia coralloides. Callyspongia fallax. Ectyoplasia ferox. Smenospongia conulosa. Myrmekioderma gyroderma. Spheciospongia vesparium. Desmapsamma anchorata. Calcifibrospongia actinostromarioides. Myrmekioderma rea. Stelletta pudica. Niphates alba. Ceratoporella nicholsoni. Agelas wiedenmayeri. Dysidea janiae. Chalinula molitba. Placospherastra micraster. Svenzea zeai. Ircinia campana. Auletta cubensis. Plakina jamaicensis. Pione lampa. Amphimedon compressa. Cribrochalina dura. Polymastia tenax. Cinachyrella kuekenthali. Amphimedon viridis. Neofibularia nolitangere. Aaptos pernucleata. Mycale laxissima. Axinella corrugata. Axinyssa ambrosia. Calyx podatypa. Hyattella cavernosa. Strongylacidon griseum. Igernella notabilis. Stelletta kallitetilla. Tectitethya crypta. Topsentia pseudoporrecta. Merlia normani. Amphimedon complanata. Geodia papyracea. Suberites aurantiacus. Ircinia strobilina. Oscarella nathaliae. Verongula reiswigi. Ptilocaulis marquezii. Svenzea cristinae. Cribrochalina vasculum. Dragmaxia undata. Cliona vermifera. Scopalina ruetzleri. Axinella morchella. Dictyonella funicularis. Halichondria melanodocia. Chalinula pseudomolitba. Monanchora arbuscula. Cliona aprica. Tedania klausi. Siphonodictyon xamaycaense. Didiscus oxeata. Xestospongia muta. Biemna cribaria. Plakinastrella onkodes. Leucaltis clathria. Dysidea etheria. Lissodendoryx isodictyalis. Smenospongia aurea. Phorbas amaranthus. Halisarca caerulea. Cervicornia cuspidifera. Chondrosia collectrix. Spirastrella hartmani. Chelonaplysilla erecta. Aplysina fulva. Axinyssa yumae. Ptilocaulis walpersii. Erylus formosus. Terpios belindae. Chondrosia reniformis. Plakortis angulospiculatus. Prosuberites laughlini. Callyspongia vaginalis. Pandaros acanthifolium. Leucetta floridana. Niphates digitalis. Aiolochroia crassa. Neopetrosia rosariensis. Batzella rubra. Desmanthus incrustans. Lissodendoryx sigmata. Topsentia ophiraphidites. Dragmacidon reticulatum. Hyrtios cavernosus. Oceanapia bartschi. Iotrochota birotulata. Hyrtios violaceus.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Jim Leftwich - Rewriting Marianne Moore's "Poetry"

THE FIRST TWO SENTENCES OF
Poetry, written by Marianne Moore when she
was 32, re- and un- written by me, while I am
62 (I can only imagine what might have been
her excuse)
by Retorico Unentesi

I too an eye tooth, a disk like it there are: things
things that are
there are
things
t
hhinn
ggs
that are
important pork, ports and portals, imported,
imported beyond
bee-Yond
all this riddle of fiddles, fads and faddle,
this rattling of cats and cattle.
Reading it, rereading it, raiding it, it however,
it howl, it fever, it never, it now, ever an owl,
it howling
with (wolf), with a woman. in. the. house. With
a Witch In The House. with a prefect coin-toss
for it,
with a purr fleck coin tempt
tation, for it one, disk
covers
that there
is
in it,
in it,
there is in it after all,
a palace for generic urine,
for the genes of genuine urine.


07.17.2018



Monday, October 1, 2018

Christopher Barnes - Five Poems


1. An Unpaused Hour

Nine tings chase sanity.
Our guru twiddles
A crow’s sequined wings.
Passions jump off wheezes,
Dashed at the holdall’s flames.
Breath-sucks gyrate the room.

***  
2. Bar 64

A Jagger-lipped ox
Smirks in its float-bowl.
The lampstand’s crimsoning.
“Quirks,” underbreaths our tiddly guru,
“Aren’t without their suns”.

*** 
3. Breakfast Ritual

Our guru tub-thumps Ouija learning
Into an atom that coggles.
The rubber shark’s dulceting
“Mack The Knife”.

The Ground Of Being’s egohood
Watusi’s tailwards.
High-muckety, we TLC our sanctified protocols.

*** 
4. Financial Break, No Cheques

This megacosm flumps –
An undisplayable apparition.
We’re diluted by marvelment.

The journey’s butt is an oblivion-fresh
String-puppet butterfly
That coaxes dust
In the attic of our mind fuzz.

Our guru belches –
A pixie’s stage whisper.

*** 
5. The Mediator’s Art

You’ve unfolded these Vanity Fair bodies
Spanning into destiny’s lap.
Poppycock has no improving.
Thighs of our guru’s apostles
Shall be gunked
By Dolly, the sponge-puff mermaid.

Xanadu’s here, well-earthed.



Monday, September 24, 2018

Jozsef Biro - Two Suprematist Poems

1.

in  remembrance  of  Kazimir  Malevich

feketén feketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete
feketénfeketefeketénfeketefeketénfekete

fehérfeketefeketefehérfehérfekete

fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehérfehéren
fehérfehérenfehérfehérenfehér fehéren

 VÖRÖSFEHÉRFEHÉRVÖRÖSVÖRÖSFEHÉR

vörös fehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörös fehéren
vörös fehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörösfehéren
vörösfehérenvörösfehérenvörös fehéren

 FEHÉRVÖRÖSVÖRÖSFEHÉRFEHÉRVÖRÖS

***

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Mosche Diamant - Singalong in NATO spelling ABC

***
1
India November Tango Hotel Echo
Delta Echo Echo Papa Echo Sierra Tango Hotel Oscar Lima Echo
India November Tango Hotel Echo

Whiskey Oscar Romeo Lima Delta
Whiskey Echo Sierra Tango
Oscar Foxtrot Lima Echo Alpha Sierra Tango

India November Tango Echo Romeo
Echo Sierra Tango India November
Golf Papa Echo Alpha Kilo

Victor Oscar India Delta Echo Romeo Uniform
Papa Tango Sierra Alpha Sierra India Foxtrot November
Oscar Tango Hotel India November Golf Hotel
Alpha Papa Papa Echo November Echo Delta

Whiskey Hotel Alpha Tango
Alpha Whiskey Alpha Sierra Tango Echo
Oscar Foxtrot Tango India Mike Echo

***
2
India Sierra Mike Oscar Kilo Echo 
Oscar November Echo 
Charlie India Golf Alpha Romeo Echo Tango Tango Echo 
Alpha Delta Alpha Yankee Oscar November Alpha 
Hotel Alpha Romeo Delta 
Delta Alpha Yankee Sierra 
November India Golf Hotel Tango? 

India Tango Foxtrot Echo Echo Lima Sierra 
Golf Oscar Oscar Delta 
Bravo Uniform Tango India Foxtrot Echo Echo Lima

Mike Yankee Sierra Echo Lima Foxtrot Alpha

Bravo India Tango Foxtrot Alpha India November Tango 
Alpha Foxtrot Tango Echo Romeo
Whiskey Alpha Romeo Delta Sierra? 

Golf Uniform Echo Sierra Sierra India 
Sierra Hotel Oscar Uniform Lima Delta 
November Oscar Tango Delta Oscar 
Tango Hotel Alpha Tango?

Monday, September 17, 2018

Joan McNerney - Three Poems

1. dividing mind

infamous
                swift
                         yellow
automobile
no particular
date/model
passing sculptured gardens,
graveyards, women in long
veils of mourning/morning
black everything still still still
(except for children who skip while
clutching doubleheaded iccreamcones)

infamous
                swift
                         no particular
clock stares at 12 which
was yesterday or could be
tomorrow but might as well
be today … why talk against time?

infamous
                yellow
                         no particular
automobile driving thru
longwhiteline of hi way
dividing mind into
distinct red boxes
cat e gories
automobile driving to
any anonymous
hospital
beyond graveyards
gardens morning veils

infamous
                swift
                         yellow.


Saturday, September 15, 2018

Erlich Dawdle - cityCityCITY!



cityCityCITYCyCYtCityTCitycCititiIyYtCyTyCttyyitiCciictiiyYTyiYcttiYiCiYcityyCCYICCcCCiyiCciCyctyYYITiCiCitcttyyiCttctCcICiyyciytIcCiTYytctTttYiCcytItCTitTicCyctyCyyCCcYCCTtyYiItCCyyctiyyyytiiciyiiCTyCytTyiCIiiyICCCiiyCtyICCctyTciciYTCiyYtiyCiittYTiiTTYytIITYttTYTIIiiitcYTTytYYtCTcCciiyYiYTittCtyYyiCtCyyytYtyCtitiyTyTyTiyTCtTCCCiycTtitCYItCcCytCIcyyIyttCCyiyYtyCtiYiYCCTyIicYtiCYYiCYCiyCcytYTiYyCIYYcCCTctyyCtTTyCcyYyyttItICICTyCTIYyCiCiYYITttitCcitttCCIicItcCcyiCTityyyicTTcttCtCtyCtiCytTTyTtCiTiCtCCiIITyitCiiCiiTYiittYCCIYtYTtiTItiyyctCIiIiiCttyICytYyyitTitTIICtitcccCCiyCICTcTCtiyTctIYYtCciIiiiCTyctyyiiTtCiCCtciyIiYCCiiyiyyciTyiCtCIiTiCytycCCyYiYTCcYCItyIcCCiyciYIyCYTCtYiiTiyYtiYcYCiycYiYyyIYttIyyyCyyYCtCIIiCCCiitcyicCittICityictyIiiTCyITiyIYCiCYCCcciyiCTTICTyYCitiittycYtyYtCCtTTyIcIIyCtCCttiCCitTTiitCyCCtTCiCCiYtIyytcyCiytCicycYcCTItITYiiTyIyTiCIYICCcCtiTYyCiiyYCtccTyiCttCyCiIyiCiIcIYCTiCCIyTtytCciiyYYyctiyciCttyITCtitTiiCCyIcYiiiCtiyicTTTcCCCCiCYTtyYYCtiYitCCCyyttCTtiTyyyCcyYciIyCCcCYiiCycciTIiyTtcCCYCtitYCctCitictCCiciCytcTcICiYiytCCyyiitCYcityYyTCyICYYtyiiCyyctIcCtcCtyYIYtCtCyTCCcCtcICCtTItiyttIyyTYYttIiticYiIiTcCCyyItyiYiIiyycCyiCCiyyitIICtCiyycTiTcciTYcCCiiicIciiICIiYYiYyiYCICIiTCttcCYtCCtYtcyITtItTCCtitttYiTYICCicyCCItyytCCyCytYCTiytYyiitTyTiiicYtCYICCitttiIYTiYCyctctIYtCiCTyiyicItyYCCctiytyyYCttyyiytciiyyiItyIiCiiiitcyITTCYTyiCyYyTiciCCCiYItCtyitCiyCiitiyCIYyYiyyTytyITIyyicItCIYiyitICtCtyCCciiiitCICyiiiIiYtyCyYtTTCTcYtyYyyYiiCiiIiitYyiItiTCiTccyItITyiYTCCyyTyCTittITiciCttTiyYyTTCyyyciyytYyyCTtyCcTtiYtyiiTtYTtyiTiyiCyCTIITCItttYIcTyyyItiTYTCcTyyIIyCiyiCIyCyyCttItCiiiCTYYyiitCtItCiytiIcCCtyyiYTCYyTyTYcyYctCttItyTyyiYttCiCyctiyCiCItyYytytYyYTyiCiccyiyyICCiCityYyIiCttIycCCyYttTITIYtcciYTiyTIiTICTiiyYytCTyytCityctTIyYTtcCyctycyitTytyIIcICyyCytCcctTCtiYcITyTtiitcciCcYcYyiyyCYtYiiCyCytyyCYCCCiYYcyttCTcICTcTCctiIyiCCICtyiiyCTTtTtYtiTytyytiIyyyIYIciYCtITtCCIyItCititIyYTiiIiiCTYciCitTiiiCyTicYiCYyiyiiYiCiTyyittTICtCyYctccyyitCitTIttiYCCYCCiIyyyititctitCtccCiTyiYytYtYytctTyiytctyiYCyIIyyycIycCYCIIctTitCitiIiTttCtctIyctcccicyCCCCCCtiYCciYtTYitiYtYyyiyyIiitCTTCciIiyYYtCICiICyttctCiyTCcyytCiyciCytiiIyCtcitiiictityCiCICyCiYiTyiYCICYccItYCtcYcyiCiiytyciCttYiyCCiiTiIitcytytcCIYitcttTicYitYycCtCtiycCyCIitTtTIYICIiTccttyItyitTtCiiiYyictyiIyyyYyYiICYiiyCTtCYitTicYYyCtcTTIitiCcccITItctyCTIITCCtcciCYcTTIiyiicitCyctCyiICCTtcItIYIiITCtcIyITCtYitiiCYtcicctCCcTtTtCytyyiTtTCCyciCCitcCiIICCTcyiyyCTTiccccTcytyccYTciIiIcciyYTtiCTcCCCCTCiyYtyiCiIiiCiyYytyCtTyitCyiyytctICTyyccyiiTIyCy

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Heath Brougher - HA!

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hollow ; A lice

Hello ; Alice

He low ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

He’ll owe ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; All ice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alize

Hello ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Halo ; Alice

Hellow ; Alice

Hello ; Alice

Hell-Oh ; Alice

Hello ; A lie

Hollow ; A life.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Darren C. Demaree - Three Poems


1. 
EMILY AS THE PARACHUTE DESCENDED WITHOUT A BODY

There are some lists
that need to be burned
before we can believe

that gravity isn’t just
a possibility.  I gave up
a soul without knowing

if it was mine.  I tasted
all of the cranberries
before I spit them out.

I looked up at the sky
to watch the fabric drape
the blue momentarily

& I assumed (still do)
that the hand that held
mine was Emily’s.


 ***
2.
EMILY AS A SONG WRITTEN BY HAZEL ENGLISH

We asked for the pause
of the Technicolor
so our blood could spin

with a firm reality
& the fog, the fog came
all on its own.  We left

Ohio so we could leave
Ohio.  That cost us
our hips.  We still tingle

for the full words,
but all this driving
has become addicting.

 ***
3.
EMILY AS SHE SUGGESTS THAT SHE MIGHT LIKE TO BECOME MORE LIKE THE EMILY IN THESE POEMS

I want to hit you,
Emily said, I’ve never hit anyone
before.  I agreed

to this lone spasm
of violence, because I have
dedicated myself

to cataloging her spasms,
to inventing her spasms, to fiction-
alizing her spasms in a way

that leads to her tasting them,
poorly.  She spits at me
a lot.  I have some regrets.


Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Federico Federici - Two Stuffed texts - an experiment with TS Eliot's "Hollow men"



***
Stuffed text number 1

We are the hallowed men
we are the duff-head men
keen to gather
head peace filed in row. Alas!
Hours drive choices, where
the will-o'-the-wisps are
quaint mien and our lenses
shield us, behind chipped
glasses, while gloves don't fit
in with other laces,
sheep without norm, shirts without collar,
in a para-lizard farce, just an urgent notion;
on the snow that crusts
we draw reptiles, too deaf fathers keen on
remembrance – in fact, all note us lost,
violence howls against
us, hallowed men
duff-head men.


Saturday, August 25, 2018

Volodymyr Bilyk - Five Roadrage Poems Inspired by Ex Ex Lit

Author's Note: Ex-Ex-Lit was one of the sources of inspiration at the initial writing stages of Roadrage. It was a place where i could catch the vibe and get in the right mood for writing. As such, I think it would be appropriate to share a couple of poems from the earlier configurations of Roadrage that were directly inspired by the poems that appeared in Ex-Ex-Lit.

***
ROADrage is an assorted collection of poems warped inside out upside down, twisted backwards and tied into a Moebius strip because The Beatles "Because".

The book can be ordered here. You can read the sample here


***
1.
timid,  tickling.. 
palpitation whisk...
... ... 
- tacit gulp- 
utmost frown 
pitapat tartar: tap-tap 

cackle 
quail peal 
-null doodles veer adust.

chink: 
squeeze:
wallowing blank waff.
nab flush stroke.

twist-twirl; -plump – bling.
/

harsh hiss 
tumble sough: 
shill...
cheeks toss gush -
(splotch!)

smirk, vague
wrecks a bit
.. ... "
indelible:

fanfare pall clatter -
stiff, hollowed;
irks ripple kindly .
......:taut silence;

e
e
e;
swipe;
NULL.
?
.

***
2.
frown lactation
inane vague: jarring peal 
.... ... ... ... .
- bing drab. 
.
raddle…
Vapid: quaff:
-nicked... lull... ...

sough, Timbuktu trill;
Down.

-sheen…
- zigzag..... jaw: 
spin, ogle: - …slight.)
trundle...
…rash... eruction

hip, bean, stir, whop, skirt, perplexing 

***
3.
Smirk, vague 
wallowing sine thrustle 
"um".

afterclap -'thump 
crackle ample squeeze:
fanfare - 

sapid glance:
ting - osculated echo: 
-click-click- 

frown / wink:
- curls out, humble
-tang: wallow
-
throb! 
exorbitant vespertine shrug 
("swipe")-

solemn somber bob.
Dizzying, excruciating boom; 
***
4.
sweep - veer sideways…
Glint 
Rumpled skin: 
- frowsy scrap tossed. 

ripple
cloud burst – halting:
vicious bitter: smothers 
sweat /

…knee knock – dash off, 
eye roll:
.
Plash: nil 
.

hollow
Rebound bounce.
-deafening tinkling.

slap wail,
nebulous rumination 
gnaws viscous gibbous rancor -:

slash-lash nibble.

peal.

***
5.
blank smirk 
tum-tumult
(eerie).
: timid,
- titter dab: " 

WHAM!

cheeks scorched 
warped inside

eye roll sough:
blink

strident zigzag thrust backwards).

whiplash blow

faint grin





Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Howie Good - Three Prose Poems



***
1
Sex Ed

We’ll again be able to walk from here to the Netherlands. I just don’t know exactly when. Sex is also a great form of exercise. Yeah, every day. And it doesn’t require a lot of foreknowledge. I should close my eyes. I should. But, instead, we just go, “Wow.” If you think it could be, but then say, “No, it's not like that,” go with your initial instinct. What's most challenging is seeing the same story repeated over and over again. We’re not inventing anything; we’re just stealing from others really well.

***
2
Death Notice

Friends I haven’t seen in years have told each other I died in 2012 under sordid circumstances – debt-ridden, detested, abandoned by everyone, communicating only with pigeons in a Boston park. Actually, I still have feeling in pretty much every part of my body. We used to wear cufflinks and tie clips. Now there are flash drives and meth cooks and what sound like gunshots. People need to be careful. Autocorrect can take you only so far. Do we even sleep? Sometimes we erase a memory here and there, but that’s it.

***
3
Blue Love

When the police arrive, chairs and tables and cups are flying everywhere. The police have dogs. They have helicopters. I stand on the sidewalk, just trying to seem normal. Some people are dealing drugs; others, dumping bodies. I see something big floating. At first I think it’s a dead cow. Then it flips around and looks at me, and I say, “Tiffany, it's a bear!” We all start laughing because it’s hard to believe. It’s like getting a blue hug from the sky.