(solstice in memoriam – for mike a.)
in darkness footsteps, shadows, caution
open to hot and rancid breath
street trash holds fingers, ears
skin protects body, liquid the door
through which darkness walks.
evil wants blood, drowns in
deep pressure without sound
fluid on pavement, evaporating fumes
head crushed, heart stopped, breath stolen
the yellow light, a white car
the blue car, the red
the dead or almost dead
the cloud, the moon, the star
the tiny square of sky
a leaf, a bit of bark, a small stone, a flower
a lizard stamp on the back of a hand
among veins, bones
glass underfoot, a hydrant, a scaffold
footsteps, smoke, steam
the dark between buildings, bodies lying in
rows between stations, two layers below
concrete, rotting garbage, sewage
one above blood on rumbling tracks
bones crushed, people folded
words written in darkness
a fever, the yellow
the blue car, the red
“Well actually I wish I was dead now,
kiss all this brownnosed ‘circle jerk’ goodbye.
But I’m too into life to want to die.”
met by death between buildings
coffee, headstones, trees
a leaf, a bit of bark, a small stone, a flower
swarming bodies, tossing limbs, oblivion
limits pushed, edges broken, deafened in
rumbling pressure beyond sound
keeping one eye on the underworld
the goat, the virgin, the dog
the pain, hiding, replacing, overwhelming,
surviving, denying, transcending pain
the vampire, the murderer, the body, betrayal
the cutting, the job of the cutter
the sewing, the job of the tailor
some who are evil, some who watch evil
dark willard, jesus christ, satan
machines too fast, too hard, for survival
surge in gravity, planets pull
summer solstice, jupistar’s place
limits pushed, edges broken
swarming bodies, tossing limbs, oblivion
fluid on pavement, evaporating fumes
the mind in liquid, sleeping in dreams
slipping into dreams after life
darkness seeping in, liquid the door
through which darkness walks.
met by death between buildings
smokes, headstones, trees
a leaf, a bit of bark, a small stone, a flower
the soul away with the lion to dream
footsteps in some other darkness
transcending