My Untouchable Face

from my book Sources and Responses

manifestpress:

if we practice interesting language
“we” establish cares within history
of distinct nowness, of distinct value
know about now
the ancient accident of knowing
happens in a continuous present
curiosity is a discipline
on the verge, in the swerve
with multitudinous possibility
the sensory reception
of scientific data creates
perceptible knowing in the midst
of unaccounted for moving
the atoms fall, the atoms fall
and swerve into language
and swerve into knowing

written in response to “Blue Knotes on the Know Ledge” by Joan Retallack

Sometimes i’ll do just about anything to avoid doing whatever it is I’m supposed to be doing.

from 1979 etc.

1979etc:

You are welcomed to your own body, and then the blanks stares of the others revoke this privilege without intention.  Please recall the question of appetite.  The appetites of others.  Can you honestly fear the appraisal of a man drinking beer?  Ask to hear a selection of his favorite music before unbuttoning your shirt.  Say shirt and not blouse.  Say bra and not underthings.  Get undressed don’t disrobe.  It is more essential to ask him who he is than for his name.  On the wet dew of the golf course you may learn to yearn for something outside of your body.  He may laugh at you, in his gentle way, for how little you know, and he may offer to teach you things, without any offer of love, and this is a kind of love, not for you, but of the world he has found himself in; he has a certain genius.  You are fifteen.  He is a boy with enormous patience for women, having five sisters.  The next time, he brings a blanket.  He does not bring wine, or any little gifts.  He is all business.

DAILY LOG

I.
Ed’d out. Calm day follows disjunkt outlet
Pass to less remote areas underneath sense,
but outer’d houses at remote sensors flung
doubt erases censure nor hosted parties’ time.

You’d at blisses called more inner research involved
his own distances resolved from the flighter pool
they’ve callowed one two three anymore detail
therein nor outer clutters distinct arrows noon

where held’d hours declare newer blooms &
Northern reposures where’d thence a word or more
holdens called-field doublers recall flutter
whose arcs deny less now & thence restore

Homer cuds pealer mist descry polar attribute
needles flood flower her’s smiler the poem
as her legs delimit pressure’s tonguer heart to
resume there-touch angles markered silence.

These hours spoken acts recall tenor leaven, nixed
meals the souler spoke and centered at love’s
peculiar mix of the neglected & obsess. Sky’s
laters rebirth and love twin signs of release.

Hard between yr sighs, another spot and room
persists beyound expectant airs nor remote
passion holds intents the purer shower in plan.

II.
Your dick. I’m not schemed between yr eyes, a spot
and center poles relaxed berms remind overture
to hints between remarks that held nor shines
have spent responds acclaim singing hours’ repose.

Then-spun light-slaked dust of centuries. Our luck.

devil isthmus spat on maypole
visceral appetition in fascism’s
unfortunately backwards yes novelist
of course intercoastal specious
drumming won’t spurt
into harvest jackpot bewildered
even decaying principle herds
own suspension across downtown
this fuck-up pidgin hello

SOUND OFF

(from the bo
ok of the sa
me title by
Spencer Selb
y)

without inte
ntion words

that have ab
sorbed the s
peech

columns sway
torsion

outbidding m
emory re-

collection t
hat g(r)azes

tense field
of forensic
parti-

culars, vague
clouds words

doors without
knock-

ing

STILL
Flat dog bark, grey air//bucket hat’s step-clumping
down the bags of meal and grass (wormy sand or
heart-attack “information science”) clay smears the
log or leg-lumpy clown dancing mist of speech-gaso-
line, resurrection “creation silence”: veal Pampers
under’s pants. Inhales’ exhalations, holds//concrete
inversion, mows’ nothing there
TREES

SPATTER
O spoon’s relegation triples soupy crown-launch
carrots sailing, lunch of wine, uh, wire clotted
‘cross the windows linear metal cheese returned:
glinting gossamer drools’ reserved loopy slapping
cheeks cottage, later clay! (O room’s brown floor
stewing, hunching under the bed… notebooks, soggy
boxes, drifts of towels!) “My breathless shirt
rehearsed…”
SPATTER

STUFFED
Blow retraction “coughing back” at me, sidewalk
remembered, call-complication piles of digging street
remain (rubbing chain) dragged behind (dense suit-
case: grass and empty lighters): chair compaction sag-
ging (but i left somehow) drooled the curb or clutched
the scabby mattress’ edge: puffed and… never caught
my breath, tried to breathetheceilingin, “nose in’s mud-
thick” root, (compression’s eyes’
UP

UN DUNE
Untoad, boat sings dune de nudes kneels the rug
glows retreats wales prow through wheeling couch…
window out drops fog leans low vision’s line altiva,
churns wake “here”, sleepy, emptied skin, resume
sanding air, nu port. Nude revolves (resolves knots)
weight on the islands dusty hands eyes, lips reclimb
DESNUDO

DUSK
Flog while pal-syndrome purling down the street
suitcase crashing garbage cans coins knives baseball
cards the fog in’s sleeve learns grip oily pamphlets
dog returns (pen soaked) “shall phone” wires’
pockets shoot crashing. Large hands flayed corners
felt yards dream in’s missed retentions (sucks’
chanchre sore) Hair’s locked touches’ slant stare
room’s wall, pasty back’s
GLARE