(AFTERWARD)
One fish, two fish, strange fish, new fish.
You, elegy. Chords on drums, mismatched socks. This is my secret. Low action, bright strings.
I’m sorry but I ate all your cheese. This is not an effeminate love poem. Nasty, everlastingly—
When I fail I fail spectacularly, white fireworked to sky, another phrase for surrender.
Throw paper first, most throw rock. You’re not a gazelle either. Practice more. Reach deep.
*
Sidewalk here says simply curious. Denver in the Tens is my—
Em texts, Noelle calls. Transcription, all. I think on your nape, your neck, no I mean the words! I was singing to you then.
Will you leave me for him? The villain from Die Hard. How nice to live where you live. New York is a place. Denver, a state.
Get straight, we right. Nothing but teeth, holes, and eyes.
You operate at the speed of red, whisky slides. It begins again, widespread the. Person. Hearts of my palms.
*
Narratology beating you to the falling shoe. Am I a slave to your products? Rock me to sleep, baby, to sleep. Goddam if we aren’t in love.
I know very well what I’m capable of. Lay down lines to walk between. A reaching, herniated sponge.
Let’s speak in inside jokes, blorp, porcupines not people. You say there is no Chicago without Rome. Rome was never like this—
Beauty, everywhere! J waved at the trees, the sun, the sidewalk. Comfortable, pretty people in comfortable, pretty homes.
West of Rome was Poetry. Not you, not J, not me.
*
All ships rise together, and you made me a horse with blinders on. Fast as I can, darlin, fast as I can.
Em left Chicago to leave him. It was the opposite, text. Distance from memories became closer. But then not memories.
Nothing is the matter. I hold you whole, hole, hell. Your gaping chest. Our hard hearts.
Etymology of the erotic—come into being, cumulative effects. O our floating lives.
In the dumpster, a leopard purse for the taking. The fishing is good when it rains. There’s no stopping us now.
________________________________________
Source Texts: Dr. Suess; Nancy Milford’s Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay; Chris McLaughlin; Lorine Niedecker; Jessi Lee Gaylord; C.D. Wright.
Brandi Homan is the author of two books (Hard Reds and Bobcat Country) from Shearsman Books and two chapbooks from dancing girl press. She lives with two weird animals–Dan and Magoo–and will be a doctoral student at the University of Denver in fall 2013. Probably, she loves you.