friday
 

the naked brick and stone the
empty skin of the river open
and flexing slowly
 the disinfectant sun
 its billions of microscopes looking
 into the space where pointing has fallen
 from the brickwork
cars cross the ends of backalleys
their excited outbreaths
 
.
 
the diamond future laughing window
where her hair works
 where double doors close on the tails of fairies
  cube-world of
  synthetic essentials
   at the single-species mall
 
 to this: grass
              a pink leaf
          as always
          abandon
indelible September
 
.
 
statistics on spontaneous combustion needed
        interviews with bystanders
 sobbing
              : the cloud clears
  the actor still stands there
          rehearsing:
 
            I wanted to dream
            I dreamt I am ///
            dreaming
 the river feeds the canal
         its rule from serpents          all this rain
 
 .
 
 praying mantis podia effluvium
      speech bleed hostages
   tiptoe along death
              it's always
 
          nevertheless her arms
   or the palms of her hands
   enter flight
   momentarily
   the far blue
 
   .
 
  boxes and heads
 boxes of heads
 
    and at the corridor's end
  children in a swimming pool
         with grazed knees
   bloody noses
          pissing
 
 rage falls tar from a truck
            roads of rage
            kerbs of rage
   remaining
        what can change?
        leaves
    heat
  a tunnel leading out of earth
           a conker's shell
   the cold worm
    the worm's cast
    how the universe will look at it
    will turn around it
 queues of gestapo spectators call for moderation
 
 .
 
  I am dreaming
          each era of a massive beech tree
          that dancing
 mime of the-moment-of-arrival snow
           the ceiling oppresses and pities us
         we pity ourselves
  our laughter pities us
 
          .
 
 rooms too small for trees
       where trees listen
        so wise and lovable and silent
        they must leave
    never to return
    and always returning
   they say nothing
     beyond us
 
light severs the ultimatum
 
matters of principle will break our hearts


          © Keith Jafrate 2006