OVERHEARD


I have big ideas about what's behind the wall there. Walked to the store and found my extra self browsing for prophylactics<TOMORROW YOU'LL WAKE UP DRESSED IN HAIR>On the way back met the other, shook hands and felt us switch. So much semen, tonight, tomorrow>EACH TIME YOU TURN THE WALLS ARE NEW>I can't handle this this often. Can't you see yourself tomorrow yet? Tomorrow another invention. The memory of the snail. In the grain of several other's skin scratched to bleeding from such sun. Hi I don't know nice to meet you listen up here’s the catch
--I accept you for who you are today. Mirrored in several directions: ah now there you are<NO THERE YOU ARE>IN THE DEN I HEARD THEM TALKING I WROTE DOWN EVERY WORD<A list of several things to carry with you: Sandpaper map, swatch of new hair, glistening. The veil within the veil. With you up to wherever, down to wherever<THE VEIN WITHIN THE VEIN>Petri dish to lie down in for forever<LISTEN THEY’LL COME IN THROUGH THE FLOOR> I'll see you in the sun tomorrow? I'll wear your warmest weather. This time the map, remember<EVERY NIGHT I COMB THE WALLS>Every night I become the walls. I wear the Gog pants. His defected. Solid straight through, promise. Bells tomorrow, listen>OH I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THAT<SUCH DIMENSION<BRINED>NO KNOWLEDGE>CURTAINED>LINED YOUR INTESTINES<LINED YOUR SIDE>BOUGHT, TOMORROW, SEVERAL>CLOSE THE WINDOW AND THE DOOR<The curtains, pulled aside, you watching: your father's seas of sperm all now full grown. See you tomorrow>A THOUSAND BILLION MILLION WANTING<A wall straight through the sky.

apocryphaltext Vol. 2, Nos. 2 & 3

Blake Butler has been published or is forthcoming in Black Warrior
Review, Burnside Review, Caketrain, Sleepingfish, Copper Nickel,
etc. He is currently working in Atlanta on the completion of two novels and a series of 50 list poems. His website is www.deadwinter.com.


a poem by blake butler