Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

James Cummins

from FLASH/BANG

from FLASH/BANG

from FLASH/BANG

              [                         5                           ]
 
transgress

across

maps

and other             “signs of our times”

smoothing

            the curvature

            the difference in diameter

replace function w/ fixed parameters

            resulting in imaginary form

for the second time today

                             cognition fails

declaring an amnesty in retrospect

                  composed

among clean sheets

the truth is

            even less complex

absorption is a

                  MATTER
                 
                 of

                 FACT

filling bathwater
                 
                 and BABIES

“sweet songs of freedom”

move to                 delete

once the correction

has been made

therefore
                                   
                         arriving

in the order of

back//left//heel and toe heel and toe

translating easily

                around
                                   
                               an impulse

wound

                  around

                               each finger

reminding the wearer

which  step is next

               unintentional
                                   
                             drift

from subject

                  to object

through tiny voices
             
               my own

breaking into laughter

absurdity and repetition
 

                                                  FLASH
 

eyes failing to see

                  beyond itself

 
                                      
                                                  FLASH
      


and noise

fill in the blanks
               
             dot dot dot

hereby

and henceforth

               declaring

the inaudible

along with

               so much else

               surging through

skin

               touch    each

crevice                  

               as if lost

so much more

emanation

retracting with

               every   step

looking
                             
                             skyward

in  shades of      movement

i produce

               a sense

or sound

whichever comes first


 
                [                                   6                                 ]
 


lincoln was a line dancer


 
                [                                   7                                 ]


 
newport or knickerbocker

the fruit

broken or

              bursting

suffering   in sweetness

how did we get from

                there  to here


 
                                                  FLASH


 
w00t       w00t
 


                                                  FLASH


 
combining

magnesium and aluminium


 
                                                  FLASH


 
detaining the original

                pristine

conditioning

                  an image

                  framed


 
                                                  FLASH
 


your hand enters

              my lungs

first the right

              then


                             moving across . . . the left

inhaling the remainder


 
                  [                                   8                                 ]


 
the morning moves

              in silent circles

scoping across parallel lines

i wince and gag

pulling paper

from limbs

ignoring incessant cries
Close

from FLASH/BANG

              [                         5                           ]
 
transgress

across

maps

and other             “signs of our times”

smoothing

            the curvature

            the difference in diameter

replace function w/ fixed parameters

            resulting in imaginary form

for the second time today

                             cognition fails

declaring an amnesty in retrospect

                  composed

among clean sheets

the truth is

            even less complex

absorption is a

                  MATTER
                 
                 of

                 FACT

filling bathwater
                 
                 and BABIES

“sweet songs of freedom”

move to                 delete

once the correction

has been made

therefore
                                   
                         arriving

in the order of

back//left//heel and toe heel and toe

translating easily

                around
                                   
                               an impulse

wound

                  around

                               each finger

reminding the wearer

which  step is next

               unintentional
                                   
                             drift

from subject

                  to object

through tiny voices
             
               my own

breaking into laughter

absurdity and repetition
 

                                                  FLASH
 

eyes failing to see

                  beyond itself

 
                                      
                                                  FLASH
      


and noise

fill in the blanks
               
             dot dot dot

hereby

and henceforth

               declaring

the inaudible

along with

               so much else

               surging through

skin

               touch    each

crevice                  

               as if lost

so much more

emanation

retracting with

               every   step

looking
                             
                             skyward

in  shades of      movement

i produce

               a sense

or sound

whichever comes first


 
                [                                   6                                 ]
 


lincoln was a line dancer


 
                [                                   7                                 ]


 
newport or knickerbocker

the fruit

broken or

              bursting

suffering   in sweetness

how did we get from

                there  to here


 
                                                  FLASH


 
w00t       w00t
 


                                                  FLASH


 
combining

magnesium and aluminium


 
                                                  FLASH


 
detaining the original

                pristine

conditioning

                  an image

                  framed


 
                                                  FLASH
 


your hand enters

              my lungs

first the right

              then


                             moving across . . . the left

inhaling the remainder


 
                  [                                   8                                 ]


 
the morning moves

              in silent circles

scoping across parallel lines

i wince and gag

pulling paper

from limbs

ignoring incessant cries

from FLASH/BANG

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
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Veerhuis
VDM
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