GARDEN PATH (EXCERPT)

at night, north by northeast
a drone hums 
       or an airplane waiting to land 
why can’t I see it on the radar?





dusk comes loud
with everyone singing
dissonance is the truth about harmony 
or something 





will recognition always feel like grief 
I told the man that I loved the story 
that 
smells of aniseed     or dead rabbit 
the brush under there





pat 
tie 
kill 
find





sip 
this 
dull 
sketch 





bat 
die 
game 
vain 





measure 
thy 
fine
edge 





I loved the story the man told me 
so much I stopped listening 
though I felt every syllable 
wandering through grass    (ornamental)





I’m here 
              what 

over here 
              where 

over here 





trip on stone 

collapse in the overgrowth 
orb weaver spins            between two dead branches 
I can’t tell you            what catches 
my fists abraded





shot 
put 
up 
on 





card 
sharp 
cut 
deck 





stack 
bottom 
up
second 





false 
scent 
scant 
thought 





stolen 
through 
borrowed 
time





      displacement makes the soil dirt
      the earth puts me back 
how
      the hours split in two





trick 
trait 
duped 
gull 





strip 
grass

build
berm





lead 
lead
turn 
ditch





field 
balk 
slip 
shod

--

from Garden Path--published by Community Mausoleum. (This excerpt also appeared in CRB.)

Buy it here

--

By Miri Karraker 👍