6.12.23

Four Poems by Mark Young

An emancipated fondue

 

The body has a structure, sponge-

like, cone-shaped. When coiled

it becomes enclosed within the

body — a crucial epistemological

transformation.

                             The cathedral is

a unified architectural symbol, un

projet artistique et culturel de terri-

toire. A position of the legs, the

sense of two very separate forces.

 

Imperialism is about to reach its

limitations, part of the collective

memory. She spoke to me in French.

I use the warehouse template. It

does not produce any translations.

 

 

Le Voleur

after the painting by Magritte

 

The hot air balloon has

been stolen from another

painting; as have the river

& the hills it weaves be-

tween. Then there's the

curtain which has been

on show so many times

that it would otherwise

appear threadbare were

it not for the wardrobes

full of similar things —

taken from clotheslines

& salons & a number of

theaters — which are easy

to switch between. Now

focus on the thief himself,

who, out in public & with

an eye to propriety, has

foregone the purloined

jacket worn in tense times

past — including le présent

on the off chance he might

just come across its owner.

 

 

from 100 Titles from Tom Beckett

#6: Undone Songs

 

El Scorcho is absolutely amazing. I'm

a lonely nerd in high school so I can

relate to the sad constant pining for

people who don't want you pretty well.

 

*

 

We just caught the lightning. Uplifting, but

not happy. Somebody who walked her

own path. I wanted you to get chills, go in

reverse when you heard. Time After Time.

 

*

 

It’s easy to assume that because you’re

texting you're in a relationship. Sawing

strings supported by guitar. Bitter Sweet

Symphony died in the backseat of a car.

 

*

 

I took the road to hell. Freedom. I took

the knife as well. Freedom. Sometimes

the clothes do not make the man. Free-

dom. On your rock & roll TV. Freedom.

 

 

A line from Chubby Checker

 

I am wearing nose clips: the

Randy Codgers Band has a song

about them; along the lines of keep

those nasty amoebas away from

 

the chicken coop — or was it

chicken soup? Either way, I have

a 3-year kitchen appliance pro-

tection plan that should take

 

care of me as long as I stay out

of the sunlight. I'm well aware

that someone who didn't follow

similar advice was found dead

 

last month in a Medina County

culvert. It's why I wear a medical

bracelet to make it clear I want

my flowers before that happens.