Linda Black
TERRABILITY
(James Joyce, Ulysses)
Scrape of day strapped
for cash raw-boned drained
of expectancy Light
disobeys greys the skin
infused with lament drags
excuses under the floor
Torpor Taxidermy (enter
a rodent) a fillet of pity soon
to be scarified strip / strop / impair
trip / trap / tear rent
arrear conclude & calcify
finickity finality extent
of mortality
FULL GROWN
Cavities centrality stature – tree
wavers sings / swings / bows
is maze entanglement
solidarity Overseer (up-thrust)
whispers sways Circularity
poise shade protection (eggs/the odd owl)
hollow-bellied disparate
egalitarian Occasional
prosperity (acorn/fruit)
rigidity incision
disability deformity irregularity
tragedy from which
a rope may be strung
It opened into a sort of . . .
(Little Jewel, Patrick Modiano)
Onto ,,, the page turns … woman
in a yellow coat will she be
anticipated? ½ yes ½ no
Variation ,,, past the brick apartment block
small sack of space flattered field
exposed branch dip ending
en clave/closure/trance
Turn ,,, reduced the distance between us
reservoir heap wearing
(this woman) slipper socks a
carved face
Marker ,,, with the gait of a dancer
more of a mourning relief
after all that murder
a motherless life
(James Joyce, Ulysses)
Scrape of day strapped
for cash raw-boned drained
of expectancy Light
disobeys greys the skin
infused with lament drags
excuses under the floor
Torpor Taxidermy (enter
a rodent) a fillet of pity soon
to be scarified strip / strop / impair
trip / trap / tear rent
arrear conclude & calcify
finickity finality extent
of mortality
FULL GROWN
Cavities centrality stature – tree
wavers sings / swings / bows
is maze entanglement
solidarity Overseer (up-thrust)
whispers sways Circularity
poise shade protection (eggs/the odd owl)
hollow-bellied disparate
egalitarian Occasional
prosperity (acorn/fruit)
rigidity incision
disability deformity irregularity
tragedy from which
a rope may be strung
It opened into a sort of . . .
(Little Jewel, Patrick Modiano)
Onto ,,, the page turns … woman
in a yellow coat will she be
anticipated? ½ yes ½ no
Variation ,,, past the brick apartment block
small sack of space flattered field
exposed branch dip ending
en clave/closure/trance
Turn ,,, reduced the distance between us
reservoir heap wearing
(this woman) slipper socks a
carved face
Marker ,,, with the gait of a dancer
more of a mourning relief
after all that murder
a motherless life
Copyright © Linda Black 2019
Linda Black is a poet and visual artist. Her fourth collection, Slant, was published by Shearsman in 2016, Root in 2011 and Inventory in 2008. The Son of a Shoemaker (Hearing Eye 2012), collaged prose-poems based on the early life of Hans Christian Andersen, plus the author’s illustrations, was the subject of a Poetry Society exhibition in 2013. She teaches for the Poetry School and is editor in chief of Long Poem Magazine. Her work appeared in Molly Bloom 12.
