" A C K T O R "

I’ve been told that every road must have its bridge

but so far I’ve only passed a few on/off ramps

traveled by the most basic means of communication

as that which makes the law and stands before the law

standing before the mistaken, impaired and compelled 

the jacked and neglected and the nursing a sore jaw

surrounded by needy/moody assholes/strings of words

each the latest atonement, the latest blank page

awake for a moment; another page made past tense

scratching the back of my throat with the barrel of a gun

no finger on the trigger, no trigger, no gun, no throat

no one is and nothing happens

so why do I feel like I need to be saved

from the daughter of avarice and the modern arousal

made of bombs and passover theories

 two women trade whispered proverbs
 sitting center of the back row
 in a crowded movie theater
 while a newsreel plays onscreen
 nobody within earshot of the two
 or eyeshot of the one
 seems to notice anything
”ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor”
 but everyone seems a little under-impressed 

“christ” is a nice way of saying “alright”
and “I must be content” isn’t a question
don’t become attached and don’t “I demand aid”
use only easy movements and strings of words
apply the most basic means of communication
as that which makes the law and stands before the law
before the mistaken, impaired and compelled 
the jacked and neglected and the nursing a sore jaw
filling jars with vinegar to break in the streets
creeping the sewer drains/paper/plastic/metal
each the latest atonement, the latest blank page
suddenly awake now, another page made past tense

the only / nearly dead put upon useless hit lists

the new apropos politique, tacked at four corners

the philanthropists and the liars / the poor realty

the only drunk some nights, healed in the morning

we hear the news and weather, before the hour, every hour

we are born from rewound figures in white coats

we are the eyeless, toothless, heartless law

we are fast nobodies pounded against and again

we never make a statement, we never need a redaction

we save our poems for the walls of toilet stalls

we are damned with tools that never worked before

we don’t know why we thought they would now

but who are we to deny such gifts?

• the only/nearly dead
• drunk some nights
• healed in the morning
• hear the news and weather,
• before the hour, every hour
• rewound and replayed
• produced and displayed
• tacked at four corners
• the new apropos politique
• wanderer and actor
• philanthropist and liar