the molecules congeal the molecules dis-
sipate, The Seven Samurai black-white-gray on TV in
a Bozeman Comfort Inn—you’re learning exhaustion’s alphabet
one cup of coffee at a time—steam from a Vicks vaporizer—
another Silver Surfer comic book, magenta &
gray splayed across a card table’s diamond veneer in-
lay—you are floating between your body’s past &
what’s to come several inches above a green
upholstered sofa, the molecules
congeal the molecules dissipate—a spiral
notebook covered with doodles of your name &
geometry’s leftovers—a grandfather clock with wooden
gears & lead weight—you are floating between
solid & air like a bright yellow school bus
in November flurries—short of breath in an Astoria
courtyard in March drizzle—an oxygen concentrator’s
lugubrious sigh in murky hours—an
espresso machine huffing between the poem’s
syllables on Valencia Street on an evening pungent as
licorice—you are learning exhaustion’s alphabet
floating gray between your body’s dimensions
Jack Hayes
© 2010
It appears a sequence may be in the offing—stay tuned! As a reminder: my most recent book of poetry, The Spring Ghazals, is available at the following online spots:
Lulu
Amazon
Barnes & Noble (new—& a bargain at $11.40 US!)
Amazon UK (£7.94)
Both Amazon & Lulu have the book for $12 US.
I'm just praying that a sequence is in the offing. What a treat that promises to be! Fine poem.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave: Thanks so much! I'm hopeful on the sequence front.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I so love about your poetry is the way you can extract individual phrases and chew on them for ages, like a satisfying boiled sweet, extracting all the flavours : "You're learning exhaustions' alphabet" - perfect example.
ReplyDeleteAlan: Thanks so much! I appreciate that a lot.
ReplyDeleteDave: Did you get my email about the Writers Talk series?
I adore this one as well. I truly feel that I'm journeying through your different layers of consciousness and observation. It's fascinating.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline: Thanks so much! Glad you like it, & I appreciate your taking the time to leave such a positive comment.
ReplyDelete