Thursday, 22 September 2016

Goodbye Keswick Hello Tuscany

Chick Revelstoke was a Hercules among men

Chick Revelstoke was a Hercules among men. He would pretzel inch bore steel tubes as idly as yours truly would snap spaghetti strands.

Laughter distant slid closer and closer. From around the streetcorner appeared Chick Revelstoke who was the source of the laughter. We watched him laughing. It was amusing to us that Chick Revelstoke was laughing so much. The laughter became infectious. Chick Revelstoke kept walking past us, with a worried look on his face. We kept laughing though we knew there was something terrifying in the air. Chick Revelstoke disappeared around a streetcorner. Still we laughed, terrified.

We were still on the street four days later, still laughing, and still terrified. We wanted Chick Revelstoke to return. How could he abandon us in our time of need? Televisions were on in shop windows but we could not hear what they were reporting about Chick Revelstoke. It was top story, but we couldn't hear the reporter.

The sidewalk was slick with the blood we were coughing up as we laughed in terror. Fear. Whatever happened to Chick Revelstoke? Was he dead? That seemed certain.

We all passed out and awoke some hours later. We started crying, tears on blood.

 

*

 

‑I saw a very beautiful woman the day before yesterday.

‑Oh yeah? Where?

‑In Beaverton, while we were waiting for the bus.

‑I don't remember anyone.

‑Don't you remember? We had to get off her step so she could get out her door.

‑Did we? I don't remember that.

‑I would give up remembering everything else if I was promised I would remember her alone.

‑Oh really? Tell me about her.

‑First thing I noticed was her teeth. One of them looked black and rotten. She was much too thin, wearing a red shirt and sloppy slacks. She didn't even notice us. She had seen the guy waiting for the bus with us and she rushed to him. He greeted her and she kind of grunted out an answer.

‑Grunted out an answer?

‑That's when I realized she was deaf, and she'd probably been deaf since birth. Her thin arms kept getting close to him. A couple minutes later he said, "No, I don't have a phone." Her hair didn't look none too clean either. That's when the bus came.

‑Okay. So. I don't get why you're calling her so beautiful.

‑It's because she was so completely, completely, in love.

 

*

 

Time Lost of Search In

 

When time and I were young, when George C. Scott,

When Bette Davis, Burton-Taylor, filled the sky,

When every other Saturday we'd see a Fred

MacMurray Disney picture, and we thought

We'd never have to ever wonder why

There'd come a day when all we dream is dead.

 

I had a dream and in it Mexico

(My cat) down to the cellar, to the grime

To play quite kittenish and coy, had fled;

Awake I realized with touching woe

The cellar was destroyed ago some time,

(There'll come a day when all we dream is dead),

 

And Mexico we euthanized in late

December last, and thus I'd dreamed about

A pet and place, both gone to me, in bed.

Each day that passes passes on some great

Old actor who's replaced by some young lout:

There'll come a day when all we dream is dead.

 

Tonight there's little chance that I will dream

About this Logan house in which I'll rest:

I'll dream of boyhood Arden Drive instead,

That for some twenty years I haven't seen.

The world is dying slow, I know this best:

There comes a day when all we dream is dead.

 

*

 

The sudden death of David Cronenberg, after I screened a good dozen of his movies, interviewed him and stabbed him, lowered me into a morass of nostalgia that begins, naturally enough, at the Nostalgic Cinema that was once located above the Kingsway Theatre on Bloor Street West, with the small library of film books that were on a shelf off the lobby in a little room built for the Thursday orgies.

And who can ever forget the four-floor Cinerama Cinema at Yonge just south of Bloor, with its five-dollar entrance fee and unlimited access to its continuous showings of the famous and the obscure on nine screens of various dimensions all on show without schedules to be had, even by or for the projectionists?

I remember being there one evening when, after stumbling into a room wherein was being projected the third reel of Long Day's Journey into Night (1962) followed by the first reel of Alice in Wonderland (1976), I witnessed Alan Thicke pitching to CTV in near-darkness a filmed pilot about a serial killer killing once a year for a thousand years. I saw that David Cronenberg was there too, actually.

It is indeed a small--head-sized--world.

 

*

 

At the Don jail, sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s, a counsellor named Grant counselled robbers and killers alienated by the post-war peace. Where were they to go, what were they to do? Grant counselled one such bank robber, plus his friends, who went by the name of Boyd.

"Boyd," said Grant, "Get out of the city. Small communities are much more welcoming. You could adjust to life there. For example, I have a cottage in Beaverton, north of here. It's a very peaceful place. You should give it a shot."

Boyd thanked Grant for the advice.

A few weeks or a few months later, Boyd and his new friends, using a hacksaw hidden inside one friend's artificial leg, managed to escape the Don jail in the dead of night. They went north, along the river.

It was at that moment that Boyd remembered his counsellor's advice. Beaverton. Peaceful Beaverton.

Obtaining an automobile, the Boyd "Gang" (as they came to be known), arrived in Beaverton, breathed in the fresh air coming off Lake Simcoe, and visited the bank.

The bullet holes in the walls are today a popular tourist destination.

Grant's son, John Grant, told me this story.

 

*

 

My Perversions

 

My alarm went off at 7:30. "You Are the Sunshine of My Love" was playing. Doesn't Gloria Barley have a lovely voice? I shut it off after about ten seconds.

I took a shower, made my lunch (sandwich + banana), and got dressed. Then it was time to go.

On my way to work I realized I could use what John Brock had told me about his father and the Boyd Gang as one of my stories. (I also want to write something about a dog, but it's simply not in my head yet.)

Work was busy, but I managed to write about the Boyd Gang anyway.

At 12:45 I went to my favourite spot to eat my sandwich + banana.

The afternoon was busy.

It was raining when I left work so I changed my route so I got least wet.

Mary cooked up some chicken + string beans for dinner. The chicken was especially good.

We sat on the couch to watch some television: some more Twin Peaks. I'm surprised by how much I've forgotten.

Mary has gone to bed. I'm listening to Otello and writing this.

Maybe it's time for some Civilization V. Hey ho!

 

*

 

In the saloon's backroom, Edgar and Louie were filling Jacob in on the plan.

Edgar said, "Plan starts with us leaving for the airport at eight AM and.... What?"

Jacob was making a face. "Problem there is ... I'm not really a morning person."

Louie nodded. "I guess we can make it nine. The loot'll be being held in storage. It ain't going anywhere. Okay."

Edgar said to Jacob, "You'll be in a security guard's uniform. You'll.... What?"

Jacob said, "Ehh, I'm not really a uniform person. Not my style."

Louie said, "We can deal with that somehow."

Edgar continued, "Once inside, you put the bags on the baggage car.... What?"

Jacob: "Mmm, I'm not really a lifting person."

"The next bit's crucial. At the hideout, we have hide out for two weeks."

"Indoors you mean?"

"Um, yes."

"Gee, I'm not really an indoors person."

"I see. Jacob, can you go fetch us some coffee?"

"I'm not really a fetching person."

"Can you do it anyway?"

Jacob sighed. "Okay."

He left.

Edgar and Louie were quiet for a bit. Edgar shifted some papers. Louie checked out the ceiling. Then Edgar said, "I really think we should consider switching temp agencies."

 

*

 

‑You have to tell me what's wrong, I said as Mike dumped twenty or so of his compact disks off the side of the boat.

He reached around for more, from the box, saying, It's not something you'll ever be able to understand.

I didn't dare approach him. The dishes were gone, the cutlery was gone, all the glasses were gone, but he hadn't touched the lifeboat yet. Are you going to throw everything in the drink?

He took the box into the navigation room. I could hear metal clattering and glass breaking. He came out with the emergency radio and the big-deal compass he was so proud of.

‑It's all gotta go, he muttered.

I went aft to the lifeboat. The discussion was over. I pulled the cord and tied it up. I went into the mess to put whatever food and stuff I could find into a bag.

He was throwing out sheets and blankets when I shoved off and started rowing. From a distance I saw him knocking down the mast and dumping it. I'll never know why. Then the boat appeared to sink. Maybe it disappeared below the horizon. It looked like it sank. Maybe not.

 

*

 

Dewey Class 519 Applied Mathematics

 

"It is a dark and stormy night," said Ned to Jones, "and kind of cold."

Jones pounded his desk. "It's not cold enough!" Having not received a response immediately enough, Jones pounded his desk some more.

"Boss, what's up?"

"Need I remind you we are employed by the Global Cooling Initiative? And if we can't manufacture some science saying the world is cooling we'll be back to turning tricks in Keswick?"

Ned thought about it. "I'll be right back."

Ned was right back, with a bed-sheet spread-sheet.

"Look. According to this chart, there's no cooling. But look at my chart. It's clearly cooling!"

"How'd ye do that?"

"I extrapolated measurements minute-by-minute for this year."

"And compared them to minute-by-minute for the past hundred years?"

Ned shook his head. "That data doesn't exist. So I had to ... wait for it ... make estimates!"

Jones clapped his hands. "I fucking love science!"

Ned pointed to his chart. "Look at this downward trend!"

"It's like I'm ... I'm literally speechless! Hello, Tuscany!"

Ned touched his nose. "Granularity, Jones. It's all in the granularity."

"Excellent. You've saved my bacon mightily. And then some."

"All in a day's worky."

 

*

 

The Border Collies

 

Nash, blue merle, went from the kennel into Control at 2000. He logged on and checked the infrared metrics for the border. Something was unusual in sector 229-GA9. As he started his granulation, Suttie, a brown and white with one blue and one brown eye, barked, "You missed all the fun."

Nash barked, "What happened?"

"The rakshasas sent out a troop of reconnoitre. Never seen so many eyes and limbs in my life. We send out a squad to let them know what's what."

"Stupid rakshasas. Anyplace around sector 229-GA9?"

"Not even close. Why?"

Nash pawed the mouse. "Rakshasas might have been a ruse. What's the word on the manitous?"

"What've the manitous got to do with anything?"

Nash and Suttie were suddenly plunged into darkness as the alarm went crazy. Over the intercom Admiral Schwartzel, Australian red, barked, "Attention! Massive force approaching!" as the red lights lit.

Suttie brought up some visuals. "Leaping Lassie, it's the manitous! Thousands of 'em! How did you know?"

As he raced for the door Nash said, "I'm a student of probabilities."

Is it the end of our world? Tune in tomorrow for the next episode of ... The Border Collies!

 

*

 

Distractions from the Ten Directions

 

From the north, not-distant-enough construction work with long low grinders with no intestinal control and a legume love

From the east, bright non-incandescent lights burning for no reason, on because someone wants them on and will blow if you shut them off

From the southwest, a hot breeze that won't let these pages stay where they want to stay, i.e. under my pen

From the south, thoughts of what never came to be and who I never became and how I've failed everyone I know

From the northwest, something slightly acrid like bacon on the edge having its enzymes ripped to shreds

From down, disgusting people sneezing - and shouting before they sneeze because they're not self-important enough already

From the west, worries about what's happening inside me these days and the idea of death everywhere

From the northeast, the guy who can't eat grapes without making disgusting sounds and licking his fingers every twenty seconds

From above, tree garbage falling from the trees every month except for dormant January and February

From the southeast, candy music rollercoasters funfairs sex steaks comedy conversation electricity chocolate epics sleep coffee alcohol poker movies politics barbecue and wine

 

*

 

For All Eternity

 

Around the campfire drinking beer we were telling stories. Our Indian guide said, "My people say that when a good man dies he awakens amongst all the women he's ever loved."

Nick asked, "Are they as they were when he loved them?"

"That's what they say."

Pete nodded. "That would be a lot of women, as far as I'm concerned."

Nick nudged him. "But you have to be a good man. Leaves you out."

Pete laughed. Then, looking at me, he said, "But John there. He's Mr. Goody Goody. He'd have lots of women."

I looked at the fire and said, "The hundreds I never touched, and the one I did."

Nick muttered, "Goody goody."

Our Indian guide said, "Our people also say a good man may be a hypocrite, and cheap."

Pete asked, "What does that mean?"

Our Indian guide got up. "Goodnight, boys. My bedroll is calling me."

I died later that night and I awoke amongst all the women I'd ever loved, hundreds of them. They were begging for me. I died of fright, then and there. Then, I woke up amongst them again, and died again, of fright, over and over and over....

 

*

 

b/w Cities (Live Version)

 

The cats are training us

The dogs are training us

The robots are training us

The terraces are training us

 

Monday pizza and beer hooray

Tuesday pizza and beer hooray

Wednesday pizza and beer hooray

Thursday pizza and beer hooray

Friday pizza and beer hooray

Saturday day pizza and beer hooray

Sunday pizza and beer hooray

 

The cats are training us

The dogs are training us

The robots are training us

The terraces are training us

 

We move like we should

(We know it, we know it)

We act like we should

(We know it, we know it)

We think like we should

(We know it, we know it)

We move like we should

(We know it, we know it)

 

Practice? Perfect! Practice? Perfect! Practice? Perfect! Practice? Perfect! Practice? Perfect! Practice? Perfect!

 

I always thought growing up would be different

I always thought my wounds would never heal

I always thought I'd think computers were interesting

I always thought my wounds would always heal

 

The cats are training us

The dogs are training us

The robots are training us

The terraces are training us

 

On and on

And on and

On and on

And on and

 

*

 

Dear sirs:

I was a participant at your 2016 'Fan Expo' as held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on September second to fifth of 2016. I paid for a booth and a space well ahead of the registration date of August first 2016. My registration number is 2-438-5943.

I have never felt so under-served in all my life. No-one stopped at my booth except to ask for directions to the nearest lavatory. My banner was prominent‑Hello Fans of 17th Century Restoration Drama‑and many Methuen editions were displayed and for sale, such as those by Wycherley, Congreve, Farquhar, and Behn. (I did not sell a single volume and I had to pay for the shipping returns out of pocket.)

I think‑disregarding the principle of caveat emptor‑that I was somewhat fleeced. The customers of the expo all appeared to be devotees of Græco-Roman epic mythologies and in some cases the Mahabharata, so were they dressed. If I had known that I would be out-of-place to the order of some 2400 years, I may have made other plans!

So, as for you 'Fan Expo,' I must say you are advertising falsely. If I do not receive compensation, the MLA will be informed.

 

*

 

You've had this experience even if you attached no importance to it at the time. You've had this experience ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen times.

There she is. You have noticed her. For a moment, you're thinking about her. You do not go gaga for her, but you do notice her, whatever she looks like. It may be the movement of a hand that you notice. It may be a particular comment she makes. It may be that look on her face. For whatever reason you noticed that there was a person there, a person with the ability to make you notice how unexpected she is. You notice her, but you do not notice that you could easily spend the rest of your life looking at her.

That is the last time you ever see her. Perhaps it's because she moves away, perhaps it's because you move away, perhaps it's simply because you move in different circles. The point is you never see her again. She vanishes from your life and you'll never know. You don't even notice she's gone really. She meant the world to you and you didn't know it.

What was the way she smiled? Name?

 

*

 

"The long statement. The long quotation. It used to be everywhere, right? Check out the first book of the Iliad. Long statements. Not conversations. The purpose was to lay out a formal argument for a position. They're out of fashion, and that's unfortunate. There's a pleasure to them, a definite aesthetic pleasure. Another example, what I'm reading now, what I think I'm reading now, the Mahabharata. The characters all make very long speeches. One of them, in the Bhagavad Gita Parva, runs to a hundred pages. Now, considering that the Bhagavad Gita is one of the big-deals in world literature and religion, how can a long speech be bad? Should it be cast off? What about the huge speeches in Job? Buh-bye Job! It's a compositional skill that's underutilized because everyone's bought into the cult of realism. David Lynch‑who I believe is heavily into Sanskrit‑is using long speeches these days. Also in Hitler A Film From Germany there's a forty minute monologue. In both cases, see: anti-realism. But how real can art be anyway? Quotation marks: what are they? You can't hear them. All punctuation: all anti-real. So why not utilize some long quotations?"

"If you say so," she smoothly said.

 

*

 

In the year of seventy two

In the coats and the boots

Of an Oshawa winter

During something like recess

(I don't recall details)

James Deakin tugged my sleeve

Saying, "You got to see."

We were both seven then.

There was excitement in him

As he led me to the can

The can us younger boys used.

(The older boys had theirs

On the other side of school.)

"You ready for it?" he asked.

"It's pretty incredible."

He pointed to the last stall.

"Go. Check it out. Amazing."

Excitedly curious

I pushed open the door

And there I saw a wonder.

For there, in the toilet,

Was a giant wonder of nature.

"Oh wow!" I shouted.

"It's like two feet long!"

 

Do you remember back when

You couldn't read poems

As you (kinda) are now?

Do you remember how every

Day brought new marvels

And miracles of the natural?

I've never forgotten that day.

We said, "Must be eight pounds!"

We said, "The body's a marvel!"

In the year of seventy two

Canada beat Russia at hockey

Which mattered to most Oshawans

But I was more impressed

By the everyday marvels in cans.

What a world. What a wonderful world.

 

*

 

‑So, you're applying for a job here.

‑Yes, I am.

‑The job's very specialized.

‑Yes.

‑A headline writer.

‑Yes.

‑Let's go through your work experience. It's very spotty.

‑I'm hard to please.

‑You list here first that you were a trampoline salesman.

‑I got out of that.

‑Why?

‑Too many ups and downs.

‑I see. Then you tried manufacturing nuts.

‑Yes.

‑You left because?

‑Not all it's cracked up to be.

‑Ah. Next, you tried your hand at theatrical management.

Yes, that almost worked.

‑Why'd you leave?

‑Too much role-playing.

‑It's a tough market, I'm sure.

‑I'll say! Nobody was real.

‑Then in October 2013 you went into telemarketing.

‑And surveys.

‑You didn't put that down.

‑Well, I did it.

‑And what went wrong there?

‑I felt I was just phoning it in.

‑Next, you ran a chess circuit, sort of a charity.

‑Yes I did.

‑So what happened there? Don't tell me‑

‑You guessed it. I got sick of all the games.

‑Next‑of course‑you vended dirigibles.

‑That I did.

‑Too full of hot air?

‑You guessed it.

‑Astonishing. You have just what we're looking for. Welcome aboard. Consider yourself employed.

‑Well‑colour me black and white and red all over!

 

*

 

Hello. Good morning, Monday. This is Miss Lesser, of room hunderd and seven. And now for the news for today about the last weekend. Yesterday president to be Hillary Clinton was fallen ill yesterday on account of her big sympathy for the sailors that were killed long ago in Hawaii by the enemies. She is resting at home now and still thinking about sad things. The people she was with at the thing continued the honouring or whatever and they did it real meanly not even taking her feelings into account. This was specially true about that mean Donald Trump who acted like he didn't even notice. There's some people who say she's got ammonia but I can't understand that and so it's probably not true. They were all like not telling the truth I think. Nothing else important happened over the weekend. It rained a bit in the mornings and in the overnights but it didn't rain that much at all and we ate outside when it darkened. A reminder to my 11:15 class on math that I marked their midterm exams and I stuck up the results on the orange board in front of room hunderd and seven.

 

*

 

Midnight's moon saw me in the fore of the L'Atalante II, steering low one knot north by northwest into Sturgeon Lake, half a bottle of Blue slowly warming in my hand. The kids I could hear laughing and hooting sometimes as they played their poker game. They'd asked me to join them, but I laughed and said a boat needs an adult.

Things were awful quiet when one rolled around.  I figured it was about time to weigh anchor and snooze. Bare feet approached and the voice of Daisy said, "Hey."

I turned around to look. I could describe her naked body here, but that's not polite where I come from. Nevertheless I can judge it lovely for you. I nodded. "You lose?"

"No. Actually I won." She wasn't all that drunk. She kept getting closer till she touched me. "Wanna do something?"

"You should be with your friends."

She laughed dismissively. "They're not serious. Not mature. How's the boat?"

"She's good."

"So, you don't want to do anything?"

"Too old for that."

"Impossible."

"That's done now. G'night."

I anchored and went to my cot. I looked at my souvenirs of Polynesia for a while then fell into my dreams.

 

*

 

 [tutorial]

You've made it through training, and you're ready for a fight. Your claim to the throne, you are well aware, is legitimate. But who says you can't have some fun as you climb to the top of the heap?

 

CHAPTER ONE

The political alliances are falling into place, and, having formed solid allegiances, your spouse can now blaze the trail for you. No-one will ever find the bodies, nor shall the Troll Boss rise again. After a good night's rest, you receive an important message from the Capital....

 

CHAPTER TWO

You've made it: but it's still not enough. Your spouse wields the sceptre of the kingdom, but isn't there much more to be done?

 

CHAPTER THREE

The contracts and the contacts you've accumulated let you defeat the Terrans handily, though with plenty of blood spilled. But this does not bother you one bit, for there's more to do....

 

CHAPTER FOUR

All is ready for the final battle. Soon will come midnight. Put on your best armour and be prepared!

 

[epilogue]

Is this a disappointing ending? All this way up, to be felled by some minute invisible bacteria? Were you expecting a sequel? There's no sequel. Such is real life....

 

*

 

There is only one fact of any value. I killed someone. For most other people, subsequent events have stolen attention from this fact. Most other people, if they knew how and under what circumstances I did my killing, would condemn me strongly if not for the subsequent events. I killed someone. If I end up in court, the prosecution will surround an absence shaped like the person I killed. I am awake and walking amongst living people. I killed someone: how can they not know this? How can my victim have been so insignificant that vengeance is not being actively sought? I can't think of anything else, while the world rolls on slowly through space indifferently. I need ask no more questions. I killed someone. Everything fades in significance. If I go to a lawyer, he or she will explain to me how I was not responsible for my actions. If I go to police, I will be told to go see a lawyer. No-one on earth can see it properly. I killed someone. There is no changing that. My soul will carry it forever. There is no place for me anymore. I'll be amongst people, sure, but forever alone.

 

*

 

Key

 

Simple, really. It's all about the distance between liberty and destiny. It's also known as the distance between good works and faith.

"What is going to happen to me? Can I know what is going to know what is going to happen to me? Can I change what is going to happen to me? By how much can I change what is going to happen to me? Why does the future feel entirely undecided yet the past feel entirely determined? Or is it as clear-cut as that? What is going to happen tomorrow? Will it feel inevitable in twenty-four hours? What is this razor's edge I am upon? What is this present but that? How can I make something of tomorrow without determining to make something of tomorrow? How can we take it easy when this is known to us? Can I ever know if I am free or not? When I look into your eyes, am I seeing these questions? Am I seeing eyes asking the same questions? Are the eyes visibly frightened by this? Is this what we want to see in eyes? Is the proof of non-solipsism that ghastly look we catch with all our questions?"

 

*

 

His & Hers

 

This afternoon I saw an older man standing on the sidewalk out front. Mary, upstairs, called down, "There's someone on the sidewalk." So I had to do something about it.

I went outside. "Hello." The man said, "You live here?" I said, "Yes." He nodded. "This house is very special to me."

"Did you live here?"

"No. But a special someone did."

 

I let him inside. "The hallway's been painted. It's been fifty years. Fifty years. Basement door." He opened it and went downstairs. We followed.

He pointed to where my record shelves are. "There was a couch there." He crossed his arms. "Ahh. Her parents were away for the night. We had some beer. We necked. I put my hand on her woman and she put her hand on my man. Then she opened my pants. It was like something from a book. She put my man in her mouth. She took off her pants and I saw a woman for the first time. She climbed on me, and put my man in her woman. I don't remember much else."

We were silent. Then he said, "Her name was Lee-Anne or something. What was her name?"

 

*

 

On a bus running from Beaverton to Whitby.

We're both dozing at books.

Behind us, unseen, a man asking a woman if she'd like some conversation.

She doesn't agree to go to the back of the bus, so he moves up‑two seats behind us.

He compliments her repeatedly. Ah, she's a McMaster University student, psychology, nineteen years old.

He was a roofer, married three times. Two daughters he never sees.

Maybe he's drunk.

Maybe he's very drunk.

Then it comes. Six years in prison for manslaughter. Sure, we need to hear the story. He came home from work and found his wife in bed with a [black man]. So, naturally, our hero struck the [black man]. "I yelled at him, 'Get the [dickens] up! But he didn't get up.

"Six years! They ruined my life!"

"Oh, ha-ha, yes," she said.

Later in the conversation he told her about his circumcised penis. "None of the wives ever complained."

She didn't ask to see!

In Port Perry he got off the bus. Went into the woods. Came back.

Mary a bit later said, "His pants were wet."

Mary a big later said, "The bottom of my purse is wet."

What a charmer!

 

*

 

Here's the first contestant, it's a 1981 Pontiac Firebird, ready to eat or be eaten, bashed and smashed, green in hue with the number 51 on the side, he's feeling taken advantage of.

Our next beauty is also a 1981, make and model Ford Thunderbird, listen to her rev, big blue 45 on top and sides, on a field of pink. Overworked and underappreciated, itching to bitch.

Third now, a 1981 Buick Skylark, number number number number 18, he doesn't look too enthusiastic about this thunder battle, I expect him to check out first, he's the orange car, there's no other.

Look here, here's our fourth, rrready to rrrumble, 1981 all over again! a Chevy El Camino, what a beaut, 14's its name, yellow, and boy he looks angry! Seems to have an issue with number 51. What a show!

A black 1981 Dodge Omni, number 12 I see, getting into position. Wow, that's a loud engine! She's got four on the floor. She's out for blood.

Last most least, it's an '81 'Vette, black and blacker, numberino 10. To smash or be smashed? The money's on the former, and I'm never wrong. Will he conquer or crash? Who knows?

 

*

 

How long, lord, how long? There is a great darkness all around. I cannot see the ten directions. I so cannot see my hand in front of my face I somehow doubt I have a hand in the first place. It is all darkness, all around. The past is shrouded in darkness. Did I eat what I ate? The future is shrouded in darkness. Does it exist already? Will it be filled in as time allows? Will I ever know if somewhere beyond the reach of the elements and the senses there exists some other soul or is the stretch of space truly infinite, infinite and empty? This inky blackness wants to seep into my bones and veins and swim up like a pregger salmon into my heart and soul, to increase the blackness it calls its own. Am I mistaken thinking there must be at least one other, like me or not like me, out in the dark? I am the most tiny spot infinitesimal.

The Ace runs to another Ace

The Wheel rolls to another Wheel

The Ruler cannot measure the Ruler

How far, lord, how far? Where are the other suns, or am I the only one?

 

*

 

The Literature of Exhaustion

 

The cosmos ate the uni-

Verse

And the universe ate the galax-

Y

And the galaxy ate the sol-

Ar system

And the solar system ate the Plan-

Et Earth

And planet Earth ate the cont-

Inent

And the continent ate the riv-

Er mouth

And the river mouth ate the set

Tlement

And the settlement ate the neigh-

Bourhood

And the neighbourhood ate the Fer-

Ris wheel

And the Ferris wheel ate the pass-

Enger

And the passenger ate the ear.

 

The ear consumed the Inner

Ear

And the inner eat ate the cer-

Umen

And the cerumen ate the kera-

Tin

And the keratin ate the ami-

No acid

And the amino acid ate the ox-

Ygen

And the oxygen ate the nu-

Cleus

The nucleus then ate the part-

Icle

And the particle ate the quark.

 

Quark ate particle ate nucleus ate oxygen ate amino acid ate keratin ate cerumen ate inner ear ate ear ate passenger ate Ferris wheel ate neighbourhood ate settlement ate river mouth ate continent ate planet Earth ate solar system ate galaxy ate universe ate cosmos.

 

And that's what it's all about.

And that's what it's all about.

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