an alternative happiness grazes rock bottom (like endless rock exhibited)
a reconnaissance, moving, tracking age . . .
the team applied a patina, running in the torturous wind (so long Rodin)
humans project the interior, seek definite articles : indefinite lamps, to
be used if only the moon healthy in the next world rises: an essence of
deceased peoples without any paraphernalia; we can only conclude that in
death, as in life . . . beads, flecks of the ice-tail . . .
... interned, burly bearded
Mr Zui a botanist-zoologist tasted it, arranging studies by radar and
radio telescopes . . . frequencies reset the sleep-O-matic . . . O how
it internalises voices . . . O how its presence sharks, and silver jacks
shutter: tiny fish guard historical reasons, and the worldly home spits
out simple configurations, like winging into the evening’s fractured
yellow . . . languishing beneath the framed module; how it marked the
first stitches (like red sutures threading the Alaska Range) Anchorage
engaging from one end: unearthed, a salt-mine man sleeping as numerous
kings who had fallen on the fallowed year, the rare golden (sunset) with
its widespread digits: at the edge of town an anachronism: covered,
rediscovered plastic figurines . . .
Broken Architecture
If existence is structured
this colourful dust conquers and divides
its haughty composure
elation; this heart aches
it was quite a rare thing to slide across grass
bellicose, consider the earth
to seize shadows I grab them by the sleeve
re-collection some lamp-like filament
faces reawaken, rooted alone in a happy home
neck turns, travelling to rejoin the spine
every movement beneath the moon
squeaky space : displacement
...
kind of mesmerising, a thoughtful yes
answer: wait for me in the gardenias
hurry the list away, in no mood to barge in
a face has been drowned, dragged below
surely to utter no word, good or bad: stopped quite still
with a case history he knelt down
eyes downcast, no sign of love and pleasantries
a cheer that might have been smiling
we heard a guitar strumming
a guilty turn, thinking how cheerful
how respectful, how tangled, and how much loved by many
shall I go back and notate that thought?
or may I stay and tell you about the (g) olden days
...
nail her voice:
bone-flute, soft . . . ko_auau
if music could surface
listen: let a moist eye overflow
so earnest and particular, rinse
the bright light : drive the green fuse
strike out against whimsy
how can we ever rest
news calls the dead hour-after-hour
vistas trace famous expressions
I remember the poet
learning to turn his face from the anxious door
symbols compact scent: tantalising
...
no exchange, no . . . not quite tongue yet
to hear your song, chance words spoken
left in the alphabet soup
only a week ago inked heaven
the owner shakes his head
gives a shape to, hammers out compositions
the character of this story is easily rendered
(a mystery most profound)
why waste tears or feign sorrow
worry, when skin must be glad
she mutters, paces to and fro . . . alone
each branch will touch
tell of
what is to be done without disclosure
reactions have not paid dividends
a cough freezing a moment
hammered home in any direction . . .
nearly, and then falling back upon ground
...
a drawer opens through broken architecture
under breath we shall arrive at
the straight : stripped water course
a whole configuration wired and attached
difficulty in finding words to protest
(email transmits this attachment)
to dress, quit the slow boat’s relief
too kick and knock fails to get recognition
enter afterwards : remaindered
in synchronicity the memorable interview
steel is voiceless, such a devil of a swipe
apparatus our benefactor: I am tired, vocabulary deflated
broadcasts gave occasion to good-natured recollections
sang of, and joked by,
then half-a-dozen turned and answered, very low:
no one will ever whip the sea flat
no one
...
so very strangely, rejoin in a low act: label voice
(scarcely audible) I will map, tell you, say by-the-way, open the book,
wait for a while . . .
delay: wing bending down to bruise the child
believe me, I desire to see you safe
a little wild-life winter is hard to bear
pride sustains: had it been above board
we could watch the hilarious stitch reign
a box of matches strikes the mention of her name
light touches her arm: turn blind
your enemy (who the story tries to catch out)
to destroy this peace, to poison, to control this experience
religion wears that shoed smile
...
stars start up angrily : gleaming : fixed
thunder it spat throughout the night
tea was drunk: there is innocence in refreshment
to join the cause we will go abroad,
(or frame the mission)
till the storm blows over, stand on this spot
jump from the wall : follow grown companions
the heart is inclined to jest
shake the obnoxious foundations of memory
where the sob ended, speech stole the liquid present
some entrance must haunt us:
who are the elated swelled others?
openness, comfort indeed
I have been afraid of the thing you said
...
after the accident, the brain’s cheerful spell
consider the rotten scheme
(the author recognised the line’s powerful agent)
I will forgive reason, this dishonourable act
but I cannot forget it (intend to observe it,
to stop the worn competition)
the head-wind spins, plays with human fortunes
mixes up the memories of old men
tradition: an old friend in close proximity
full, fake balance,
glad to believe there used to be . . .
a glorious escape, the hammer voice strikes ////
what brings this crazy planet alive
... the cymbiform moon?
...
will they map it again
secret machines juggle numbers
notions: a thought, calculated to zero
profit speaks with whipped earnestness
dog and fire recall present trouble
to shake in the sun-flame furnace
that never-never curve failed to rise
I think you must be inside it: rain bandied its weather
launches a false report
infernal : inferno, nobody has dressed down
eager his panache made others squeal
rise immediately, anticipate and ask
what is driving you (pause) speak
de
struction one-eyed; inclement
nothing rash in the diamond whisper
quiet: let moist skies overflow; but no need to lecture
...
the dog sprang up to fetch,
arm struck out to overthrow a commanding gesture
startling rapidity of strange incidents
knit this notion, be aware of promises
instinctively distrust butyric words
the stealthily indignation galvanised opinion
...
figures bump, balance an attitude of indexes
an even hand is a smothered tone
wild on any terms observe this thread
a tour de force, as I listen at the window
turn for one last glimpse
the echo hears nothing
let the tall poppy pass
returning to the outer oval
witness the tortured treetops; reception casts thought
aligning and moving gracefully
pass a hat, straighten that flower
surmise a great controversy:
whose image dwells in the memory of motion?
insight some type of great petite idea
history represents an amiable allotment
objects always robust, admired and agreeable
the inevitable lot of humanity
snatch to fit the slave of routine
organisation sowed the restless ant colony
...
birds position poles
present what is elevated : frenetic : still
what is to be told: mind is made up to take flight
what if your command will burst-forth, if you give nothing
beyond the eye’s glittering gateway
reflection flees the moment of arrival
blazing across the prairie, the fire horse traveller
to reflect, embrace the flood that time consumes
where the roof rises, boats sail
parturient hope subtracts importance
you look for belief . . . it’s not so outrageous
I am a stranger
guests terminate this conversation
...
becoming scarlet
from the south the travelling carriage
x-rays are anterior
(to bear away the happy imagination)
embrace: you could scarcely describe this prison
a hunch, an encouraging age of corruption
I would faint plain sailing across the whispering universe
in a green tea valley, direction contiguous,
district of factories . . . no space,
that unbalanced history
...
existence answerable
the morning was fine, rhyme clear, crystal-
line
a soft western breeze
the starting-post was about here
the attack: fork-lightning flashed . . . scintillated
from every quarter of the frame, horizon bruised,
black thunder broke over earth
to have never felt it in its fullness
now, never hush . . . hush, secrets
nothing but idle gossip in your neck of the woods
...
frantically trying to remember the message
in my last note, helplessness
and what foregoes this conclusion
a moment dries once more
do negatives freeze light in motion?
it drives me up the wall . . . gently, it’s dangerous
not because this work was ill conceived: partly executed
amid deciduous glades, amongst flowering galleries, curves often cir-
cular . . .
...
cannot hold it closed, shut it within
this structure myself: shine-forth
not yet a mine, a door silent
strange . . . foreboding,
that it never transmutes a few general words of assent
necessary to grip an ugly vision: don’t complicate
maybe it seems shallow to know what to do
colour flushed from face, comical and lost
tears stood in eyes, moment arranging belief
blink, and all that sleep : black : awake,
fragile figure; for, though
frozen, sound rightfully unearths
meaning, a watchful mind, mouth becomes page
...
I have endeavoured to picture something
to develop out loudly
portrait hanging, angled, re-
set, eye-levelled: see . . . mix-it-up
(a pace or two towards the door)
flight is evident:
the suicidal career of what idea was then up-
tight, styled on this occasion, heart circulates
finding itself a home
desire, very likely tomorrow’s attraction
point to a word : a figure . . . high-
lights, characters of this familial history
...
why is the driving mind sitting still?
rested, posterity shatters the body
twilight an example of illumination
to cross the bridge I recognise nothing
flight made this place
grey dark rain; eyes fully opened
encouraging mental competitors
the frame has ridden underground
faithfully glanced at the brook
with the eye-lid folding in the midst
of this key, deep communion
sentiment kettles this light,
if only to enchain and frighten.
for Karl Stead (who excavated Dylan Thomas from the rubble)
A Strange Harvest . . . A
SEISMIC SEA WAVE
a crescent phase : a compass rose
a trail of words in the heart of a plant
let’s not mince words: pollen is plant sperm
tiny algae making sea water appear the colour of wine
vivid .................................................
sparks in golden lines joined at a star
even in death, dem bones are washed in red wine
proboscis monkeys pick their way through thickets of mangrove
2
INLAND [ ] Is-land: a detached home
incorrigible
herons plus one fish
equals
a flapping squabble over property rights
workers strip picture tubes from laughter
little girls from broken records
recycled domestic couples indulge in moments of twilight romance
cockpits enter a potentially deadly practice . . .
3
death is a little podcast . . .
ALLERGY GIRL
at night she dreams of spiders and insects
(hints of early human migration : hints of prehistoric failure)
borne to her burial, allergy girl speaks a condensed version:
Apsara
originally came to me in a flower
... Apsara, a celestial attendant ... this mimetic spider un-
threading a world dredged land reclaimed
where engineers nor mystics could stem the flow
where informal e-waste is processed
(spammed at a proximity to humans at .com)
a strange harvest . . . a potential home for life
4
SIX MONTHS alone in a cave
... who seeks to satisfy a spiritual hunger?
... who will answer directly?
waiting for them to come out
I used to be ashamed living here
(there is unbearable) but what else can I do?
this house creates a strategy
forms play out in the shadow of fiery peaks
same spot: sandy, barren, and bone-dry
creatures novel to science as they are to the eye
... s
cientists say it’s inductive searching for signs
a bold new try for the top . . .
a step into a world where gods displayed their powers
5
Å
(above)
10,000 WINGS
reflections flee one lightning bolt
rush of wings welcomes the dawn
we who face death are becoming strangers
who stuck his head into a seal’s breath?
a question mark crosses the Arctic
............?
................FLOOD................
to ride inflate (glimpse)
hundreds . . . of . . . thousands . . . of . . . bubbles
precious waters mirror a passing of canyons
a magical city
more a dormitory town now
bowls regularly played in parks
two local bands: one the Salvation Army
6
a mushroom cloud of stone erupts
... morals become personal and he is born
JOHN DIAMOND
a blind scholar
a well-known traveller
best known for promoting the use of the umbrella
he pretends to his son
insights are undeniably interesting
(practical skills with some formal learning)
living a forlorn existence