Stampeding alongside John Barth.
now here are some concerns
as become audience
‘cept is not who’ve become
but who think self to be
&’ve asked many idle questions
since could speak &
’ve joined an act of mass impulse
but too late to change character
a concern:
voice echoes
back no longer own
here I run forward,
onward
with countless runners alongside
a swarm of human motion cascading
through fields of brier & thorn
is this stampede an invention of subconscious?
am defined by run towards?
(interpret these as
expression of universal frustration)
a second concern:
experiences disseminate
into a desert of cliché
known truths get untruthed
press onward, legs churning by habit
& cannot slow for the mob would
carry forward,
then pull under
see, useda grow metaphors in pots
in back recesses of consciousness
but harangues grew too fantastical
& too obscure & solemn
another concern:
it dawns
driven by inane
know not whereto run
(forgotten whence came)
fibrous roots of countenance
hold present in death grip
& all can muster is chant
one foot forward,
one foot forward,
as see a portrait of terrestrial
in spirit of this rabid rambling
a further concern:
it appears this
discourse sustains running
too many have fallen before
cannot press on but must
passing over countless brothers
who were pulled to their end
incalculable number of fallen
infinite infinities of sheer hope
lie white bleaching in the sun
a field of thorn, brier & stone
one foot forward,
one foot forward,
one foot forward,
one foot forward
one step for fallen
(whose bodies pave way)
two steps for brokenhearted
(who wring from stones)
three steps for satellites
(whose irregular ellipsoids
guide to the ecliptic sphere)
first this way!
then that way?
a final concern:
beginning to fear
’ve seen this before
a cry rings out
swing low!
& response
sweet chariot!
& in unison voices rise
comin’ for to carry me home!
&legs burn & churn
communal whole heaves onward
if nearing goal, no one knows
yet run on,
yes,
continue to run
one foot forward,
one foot forward,
one foot forward,
one foot forward
"Jeremy Balius is Dallas Texas born, Giessen Germany raised, Los Angeles California educated and now resides in Fremantle Western Australia. He looks after Black Rider Press..."
No comments:
Post a Comment