Pricked 

When I went into the video store
and the girl said two fifty, I said: 
But I've already paid!
Yes, for yesterday.
But, do you mean 
that one has to return it on the same day?
Yes, she said, and added that her colleague told me of course.
He told me nothing!
Yes, he told me of course.
But you weren't even there!
I had started to shout, but
she knew her colleague, he told me of course.
He told me nothing! And a speck of foam
from my lips
settled on her bust, the shelves reeled
and my hand came 
- while with strange clarity 
I saw a great horn 
ramming her body through -
down on the counter
with a magnificent slap.
You needn't spit at me.
It wasn't intentional!,
I bellowed.

2003-12

Motorcycle noise in desolate China

looking at a map of faraway China 
a reddish planet threatening eruption
cities are craters, a seething quadrillion
perilous suburb highrise bunkers
I must stay away from the dangerous quarters
no place for strangers except in the noise
a fool in a car in a desolate city
backing away from a traffic violation
put to rights by a friendly expatriate face
a thin harmless man, transformed, a black biker 
takes me
to a small dingy room 
and a talk about China, listen and learn
the noise of motorbikes in the street
distracts and exhausts me
a shabby counter
my guardian is leaving 
on a glistening cycle

2013-10-06

Betrayer, my opposite number

Laudator, slanderer, 
My scornful friend, 
You do talk to small animals like me 
Knowing that I speak but parrot's speech
My No doesn't mean anything
To you

2006-10

A Toddler with Attitude

Vibrations of no good kind	
have somehow come to me.
I cannot tell what happened,
I have no memory,
my brainpan pulsing, empty,
I - overstrained myself?	

Then dimly I remember
that someone said something.
I only know 'delusion'
was one expression used.
It must have been: they warn me
not to delude myself
that I might be a person
- I suddenly feel hot -	
but they just want to help me
to face reality.

I still vibrate with something -
a hopeful image looms:
a grinning skull, in two parts,
cleft by a silvery blade,
some brain sprays out to hit me
and I realize
that fear of this attack
had dulled my memory,
has held the fury back.

A great hilarious barking	
explodes the company,
it's roaring, shrieking, gasping:	
A toddler! - With attitude?!

		
	2006-12 - 2007-02