1.
lived some in the trees
the brown liquor comes up short
sound drove straight on through
spiraled out of time
i move like four bent mailmen
the tires kiss what’s there
front door closes good
high-tension line transformers
buzzing velvet drone
pushed the bones aside
the sky paused and rolled in place
branches burn real bright
2.
dug a deeper ditch
hot beef broth tastes like ozone
sealed the torched instant
noise as radiance
in the dark all hair on edge
saw old stars explode
what i heard was drums
rose above its vaulted dome
broken stumps less trees
evening transposes
doubled back around the hum
found my concrete wall
3.
millstones are sharpened
carving fork elects the spine
feet warped by subtones
plugged my ears with ham
only fill dirt left to sift
what life means a monk
thickenings expand
gathered up what moss there was
made myself a hat
something more than air
parables of inclusion
the numbers agree
Jeffrey Little | Impressionism Reconsidered as a Lascaux Cave Painting
Contents | Mudlark No. 77 (2024)