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Poetry


THE GRAPE THIEVES

The grape-thieves hide their hair behind black shawl
and babushka, still two days till dye day.
Giddy and bloated with the fleeting wealth
of full shopping baskets, they discover
the succulent green orbs, too tempting to
resist. Lit by wary glances, practiced
fingers find their prey, twisting stems with no
great effort, like assassins snapping necks.

Secretly, in silence now, casually
bringing hand to mouth as if covering
a cough, or suddenly remembering,
or scratching an itch that can’t be subdued,
the grapes pop into their mouths like pills, gummed
and swallowed to calm some inner turmoil.
The fruit fills their emptiness slowly, one
by one, like pebbles in a jar. Then, like
addicts, their shoulders relax once the deed
is done; all evidence has been destroyed.

Well-disguised caricatures of want, they
walk freely amid abundance in a
cavernous cornucopia, so full
and so vacant. The compulsion, passed
on by experience, to take what is
given—“Pride is the luxury of rich
and spoiled women”—isn’t that what they’d say?

Embarrassed by the sight of shadow selves
and afraid of boldness, of rule-breaking,
of aged anarchists, the workers look
the other way as the grape-thieves move past,
bitter and unsatisfied, but at least
conscious of their failures. If they hear the
tisking or see bare, dark-haired heads shaking
in disgust, they give no indication.

“The Grape Thieves” was originally published online in Hinge Online Volume 7:2 (August 2006)

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ODE TO PHILIP GLASS

This is an ode to Philip Glass

This is an ode to Philip Glass

This is an ode to Philip Glass

This is an ode to Philip Glass

This is an ode to Philip

Glass

This is an ode to Philip

Glass

This is an ode to

Philip Glass

This is an ode

An ode

An ode

Anode

Anode

Anode

Anode to Philip Glass

Anode to Philip Glass

Anode to PhilipGlass

Anode to PhilipGlass

THIS is an ode to Philip Glass

THIS IS AN ode to Philip GLASS

THIS IS AN ODE TO PHILIP GLASS

THIS IS AN ODE TO PHILIP GLASS

THIS IS AN ODE TO PHILIP GLASS

THISISANODETOPHILIPGLASSTHISISANODETOPHILIPGLASS

 

THIS IS AN ODE

TO PHILIP Glass

Philip Glass

Philip Glass

Philip Glass

Philip Glass

Philip

Philip

Philip

Glass

Philip Glass

Philip Glass this is

an ode to

Philip Glass this is

an ode to

Philip Glass this is

an ode to

An ode to Philip Glass

This is an ode to Philip Glass



“Ode to Philip Glass” was originally published in Zillah Volume 6, issue 1(Spring 2006)

 

SHH

Establish

Furnish

Burnish

Distinguish

Polish

Nourish

Tarnish

Languish

Anguish

Demolish

Refurbish

Finish

Publish

Flourish

Relish

Perish

Vanish

“Shh” was originally published in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet (November 2005) and Bogg No. 73/74 (2006)

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KRYPTONIAN TRIPTYCH

Fumbling excuses

Steel eyes behind plastic frames

Of course we all knew


Thinking of Krypton

He asks us what it feels like

To be truly home


A girl clips photos

Thinking how hopeless a world

If he wasn’t real?


“Kryptonian Triptych” was originally published online in Hinge Online Volume 7:2 (August 2006)

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BROOKLYN

When you left

it was like the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn

a stadium emptied out

a home destroyed

they moved to California to start again

like everyone does

even you


“Brooklyn” was originally published in Cantaraville Three (April 2008)

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OPTIMISM

A new book of poetry. Click for more details.

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