there is fire and there is fire /
the difference is in tracking /
down the source of the flame /
in this trickling southward body /
did it spin the spiked wheel in /
a flurry of threads /
dyed in border colours? /
did it reshape the torso /
secured by the vatican /
but allowed to slip away daily /
did it erase the fingerprints /
of a child so none would /
ever recognize them amongst /
their own igniting on an /
embered foot path ahead into the waiting years
the road leads to the accident /
all signs point to an /
engine block driving through the chest /
that advantage of a tiny thousand suns /
in the dark eventually circles back /
sitting on the torso at /
2 am waiting for its /
third act entry /
spiking the plot /
weighting the dream down /
to the hobbled rhythm of the lungs
popular belief: /
1. worms exhale at our birth and inhale at our death /
2. the sun is only as large as we see it, a golf ball struck billons of years ago /
3. the wealthiest among us have the shortest large intestine /
4. humans forget how to swim when they are born /
5. electricity consists of tiny hand gestures that copper understands /
6. the weather was already written in the 14th century on the longest scroll /
7. if we never opened our mouths, the days would increase by an hour each month /
8. flight is caused by the friction between national borders /
9. fish can reverse time by swimming backwards /
10. money was the first magician’s trick
what can it be this new thing /
if it only took up space in the garage /
or crowded out native species in the garden /
but it is here knowing its now /
digging tiny little holes in the distance
between to and be /
how to push it over the side /
with five-fingered hands only /
wait for the roar of the falls at the end credits /
to press it into stamp-size passing
too much space is /
what binds us twist-tied /
into a gentleman’s knot /
from founders who weren’t fathers /
except when the crafted contract /
unintentionally seeps into rowhouses centuries late /
bastards us all /
they only leave messages now /
expecting notes on their birthdays /
a country’s promise as rigid as a commissioned portrait /
on occasion, when the din closes /
something monstrous swirls in the great lakes /
uncurling its many limbs /
testing a reach from shore to shore
so far from the shelf that is the I /
dear reader assume everything about motive /
the exit is more clearly marked that way /
after the rags are wet with gasoline /
when a light dinner was promised /
it was always the light from the engulfed block /
illuminating quiet time to posit /
keeping the hope of the passing of the world near
tuesday there’s a credible crater /
in the room that also holds /
service staff counting the /
whites of their uniforms /
it’s possible to scrape more /
out of the crater with /
today’s event’s cutlery /
the crater as a dome /
flipped for those named /
without tiny text pillars of trademark /
absorbing light from /
strained fluorescent tubes /
dangling overhead
so so son /
exclaiming fait accompli /
at the parental reveal /
don’t blame yourself /
the planet came with a fault /
that upright spine that divides /
us all
last night, the oxygen left /
leaving only pollen, dust /
and a puzzle of leaves /
the widower satisfied forever /
sweeping birthday sparkler ash /
into small piles an average /
stride apart
never and always the stone /
blocking the driveway I was /
given weight and air early /
what is true is a poison not spreading far /
drawing a shadow outline as /
cadence and delivery are practiced /
will consume us all, not /
there yet but proximity flashes /
again illuminating fully the /
waiting room