A LYNCHING NEAR THE COLLEGE

December 19, 2014 Section 8 Squad ART, Poetry 0

Animax-Sony-Anamorphic-artwork-for-the-London-Comic-Con-MCM-Comic-Con-17 by Sergio - Odeith Http://www.odeith.com

Sergio - Odeith Http://www.odeith.com — Sergio – Odeith
Http://www.odeith.com

A LYNCHING NEAR THE COLLEGE

The ghost tree reflected in the window
white as blood-free linen
moves not to the beat of wind,
forms no shadow,
makes no nest for a family of squirrels—
no flurry of leaves, no glitter of sunlight..

We look to the street to find its nature,
yellowing blossoms on young trees
a startling of green,
the dead bark of elm disease,
the ghost tree nowhere in sight.
This is how it is when it is nothing at all.

Later we hear a scraping of feet,
a breathing of air when the wind stops,
the sudden fist of a limb cracking.

Somewhere violence happens: a branch, a fist.

THE MORNING OF

Whatever it was that touched us did not touch us
no longer bound to the frailties of witch hazel and struggle,
but the moon did dissolve into smoke over the rooftop,
soft light did not harden into ice,
the chambermaid’s smile turned to a frown
dimpled with crustaceans and snake skin,
and professors ripped hypotheses into scrap
metals drawing mountains over everything.

Animax-Sony-Anamorphic-artwork-for-the-London-Comic-Con-MCM-Comic-Con-17 by Sergio - Odeith Http://www.odeith.com — Animax-Sony-Anamorphic-artwork-for-the-London-Comic-Con-MCM-Comic-Con-17 by Sergio – Odeith
Http://www.odeith.com

STATUES OF LITTER AND PAINT

Only sometimes does homework enter the heart of the matter,
pen to paper, keyboard to screen,
a lack of ribbon for the brand new antique electric typewriter.

When the boat people want to leave the river for the lake,
they need to notify the people of the bridge to prepare for their passing.

This knack of living on tongue depressors and condoms,
reddish clouds and red lit leaves, a waning sun:
smoke and dust.

In the house of thieves, hide your silver.
do not let Waterford crystal slip from the table.

Art-Work-Piscinas-municipais-Oliveira-do-Hospital-1by Sergio - Odeith Http://www.odeith.com — Art-Work-Piscinas-municipais-Oliveira-do-Hospital-1by Sergio – Odeith
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THE COLOR OF GRAFFITI

What is it
–today–
–a week ago–
sleeping in the dragonfield mines?
:the breath of passion flower overhead
the jaws of the dandelion
the strength of blood tulips craning their stems through shadow growth

how many times
–last night–
–the first week in May–
slipping through the fired lisps of dragon teeth?
:a wealth in persimmon juice
a poverty of lilies of the mountain west of Maine
the drawback of the morning glory

Art-Work-Piscinas-municipais-Oliveira-do-Hospital-3 by Sergio - Odeith Http://www.odeith.com — Art-Work-Piscinas-municipais-Oliveira-do-Hospital-3 by Sergio – Odeith
Http://www.odeith.com

AN EDGE TO TEETH

This is what crushed the water
and this is how the tree died
and do you see it in the distance?–

this is how the mud grew
this is how limestone forms

a spine of brick, cask of clouds
fat with noise, fat with jazz
fat with underwear eaters.

– Michael H. Brownstein Michael H. Brownstein has been widely published throughout the small and literary presses. His work has appeared in The Café Review, American Letters and Commentary, Skidrow Penthouse, Xavier Review, Hotel Amerika, Free Lunch, Meridian Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, The Pacific Review, Poetrysuperhighway.com and others. In addition, he has nine poetry chapbooks including The Shooting Gallery (Samidat Press, 1987), Poems from the Body Bag (Ommation Press, 1988), A Period of Trees (Snark Press, 2004), What Stone Is (Fractal Edge Press, 2005), I Was a Teacher Once (Ten Page Press, 2011) and Firestorm: A Rendering of Torah (Camel Saloon Press, 2012). He is the editor of First Poems from Viet Nam (2011). Brownstein is currently the English Specialist at Lincoln University in Missouri.