“Be careful,” says the guide, “be careful of the children.” I can hear their tiny fingers drumming against the hot metal of the car door. I can hear their child voices singing, “please madam, come out madam, madamadamadamadadamadamadamadama.” I push open the door against the weight of their bodies, and step into the sun. Then […]
Poetry 89
Robert Siek: Grand Union
I walk the cereal aisle at Grand Union like a swivel-hipped marionette, hot for ground beef, thinking of Bonnie’s barbecue, the pool party, some half-naked man. Ignoring magnet frames and cork screws screaming “pluck me” from metal hook-on branches, doing the dash of in and out, passing through perfect as if Officer Lupo requested that […]
Elizabeth Scanlon: Clarion Canticle
Christmas came around the corner like a thug, it wanted my wallet or heart and didn’t care which. The trickling down my ribs reminded me of dear blond Lynch saying titsweat is the worst, and the wet wool at my pits made me feel bad for the sheep, who never imagined itself dyed crimson and […]
Theo Rossi: Object Study 1
Twice a night, once at twelve and once before, I used to whisper to the cow skull on the mantle of my home. (in his gentle bony ear): Please protect me from the frost snake (coldest death this side of Santa Fe) I slept with anise seeds tucked in my sleeves to clear my nightmares […]
Anzhelina Polonskaya (Translated by Andrew Wachtel): The House of Dora Maar
The house of Dora Maar. Here’s her motorcycle, covered with dust. Her fate. I read her biography in the half basement: «Poet, photographer, painter. … a historical figure thanks to Picasso…» The past swathes the walls here. I touch them. Picasso was not in my fate, not even a piece. But, driving by the yellow […]
Michelle Ovalle: Rewind
Blink out the stars, tangle blue in my throat, your fingers pull the knot in my sweatpants, palm to navel push, hunger takes over, slips up torso, left breast, tongue your blue highway print on chest and neck, marking me for silent screams, wild hair pull, my head, your hands cradle before freefall, my body, […]