ROSIE

the chalk and clay hills breathing yellow, red, green and brown
at a crazy angle to an electric fence the chalk and clay hills breathing
at a crazy angle to an electric fence yellow, red, green and brown

with an orange bag covering its head making a temporary monument in the mud
then seeing a dead horse with an orange bag covering its head
then seeing a dead horse making a temporary monument in the mud

knowing that the horse has gone and may be some time
around the corpse flies circle knowing that the horse has gone
around the corpse flies circle and may be some time



THE BODY WAS INDEED COLD

remember when he was a man who became goat-footed and deformed
I watch stars become obscured by clouds and remember when he was a man
I watch stars become obscured by clouds that become goat-footed and defaormed

he lived, died and was feared and his books are no longer borrowed or read
now remains only dates of exit and entry he lived, died and was feared
now remains only dates of exit and entry and his books are no longer borrowed or read

no ferryman was paid so he remains a shade reciting lines of curious poetry
on his death coins never covered eyes no ferryman was paid so he remains a shade
on his death coins never covered eyes reciting lines of curious poetry



BURY HIM QUICKLY

before water changes into beer and whiskey before the incontinence becomes obvious
before the bomb disposal van arrives before water changes into beer and whiskey
before the bomb disposal van arrives before the incontinence becomes obvious

before the light and church of poetry for the mobile hotdog stand opens
before he's taken into custody or worse before the light in church of poetry before he's taken into custody or worse before the mobile hotdog stand opens before someone

before someone tells him to get up before he stretches towards the impossible
and there is nothing else to say before someone tells him to get up
and there is nothing else to say for he stretches towards the impossible




IT'S THE GOODBYE BOOGIE

on the other side of the world with inadequate stars depressed and silent
barely awake I cruise to the bathroom on the other side of the world
barely awake I cruise to the bathroom with inadequate stars depressed and silent

and talk to old friends about how my house has fallen
I'd like to drink the yellow light and talk to old friends
I'd like to drink the yellow light now my house has fallen

where my heart's deflowered and left with a glass of water
it's nothing really an ordinary disaster where my heart's deflowered
it's nothing really an ordinary disaster with a glass of water


© Rodney Wood 2014