18 June 2025

masque

1

 

too late to distribute tokens of autotarky
we’re in it together
and every screw turns

moments of kindness and unkindness
fever cannot be tolerated without breakdown
the lecteur dissolves glue

there is no dissonance
but this music allows it and
while the orchestra rehearses

the naked dancers’
athletic contortions command and
the comets descend

 

2

 

clutter by piles
archaeological
strata of comment

they squeak
they groan
from the ground

 

3

 

antecedents
worth nothing
but genes?

that’s not
the half
of it

the chains
of sound and light
evaporate

only hurt
pounces
and waits