In Lord's Long Line for Salvation
by Aaron Cohen
Once, I put a black guy so close to death he walked
on the shores of Heaven
before coming back for further misunderstanding.
I must have stepped on a hundred jellyfish
on my way back to the bar.
I'd broken most of his bones, set aside
his good parts, one of these days I'll be able to
tell the whole story.
Meanwhile I'll continue double-bagging your groceries
and walking you kindly to your car.
Copyright All Rights Reserved 2010
Death Sentence
Death Sentence
(can, huff, plant...)
Another great word splattered.
I was killing them one after the other, hurling them
out of our open window on the ninth floor.
By lunch, there were only a hundred thousand left.
When Jesus dropped, cheeks went rosy.
Then came marvel, and edit, office.
I was making a mess in my mouth,
I hoped it was all worth it.
Itch and wart and sex waited in line.
Flicked season and haircut fell like bugs
leaving no chance for reversal.
(Beatle, crystal, sugar...
I was left with God, invasion, music, war.
Saving the best for last, fears don't ebb in silence.
Years later, I was known as The One.
A statue was erected on Mount Erie
without explanation.
The power of language is overrated,
a bust I explained to the bleeding masses.
We must touch more often, I explained.
We must tussle and mess things up
and avoid explanation and qualifiers
at all costs.
There is magic elsewhere.
copyright 2010 - Aaron Cohen - All Rights Reserved
(can, huff, plant...)
Another great word splattered.
I was killing them one after the other, hurling them
out of our open window on the ninth floor.
By lunch, there were only a hundred thousand left.
When Jesus dropped, cheeks went rosy.
Then came marvel, and edit, office.
I was making a mess in my mouth,
I hoped it was all worth it.
Itch and wart and sex waited in line.
Flicked season and haircut fell like bugs
leaving no chance for reversal.
(Beatle, crystal, sugar...
I was left with God, invasion, music, war.
Saving the best for last, fears don't ebb in silence.
Years later, I was known as The One.
A statue was erected on Mount Erie
without explanation.
The power of language is overrated,
a bust I explained to the bleeding masses.
We must touch more often, I explained.
We must tussle and mess things up
and avoid explanation and qualifiers
at all costs.
There is magic elsewhere.
copyright 2010 - Aaron Cohen - All Rights Reserved
Consequence
Consequence
I am inaudible above the subtle whistle.
I walked miles to search for silence.
Instead, I was strip searched.
This on my way home.
They redressed me like a copy of myself.
They fed my two eyes to two fish.
One of the fish followed me into the sea.
I nearly got eaten, but the fish put his
life in front of mine and I was miraculously saved.
Day two was a repeat, but day three
offered further consequence of swimming.
I am sure of what it was now that was bugging me.
I am almost absolutely sure.
Reprinted with permission from self. 2010 All Rights Reserved.
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