The black receiver in my grandfather's house

Telephone, telephone,
riddle of the ringtone,
the numbers make no sense.

Apparently a tool I use,
I confuse -
user and tool.

Telephone, telephone,
riddle of the ringtone,
wire on a millstone, 
round around my neck.

The earpiece, the mouthpiece,
always the same piece
lying in my hand.

Welded to a heart of bone,
while my fingers grip around
it has me -
spellbound.

Clubfoot, clubfoot
banging at my ear,
to put it down, to put it down
every time I wish,
impossible to kill it is,
recurrent dish - of fish. 

The mouthpiece sputters, spits and hits
(in backwards running time)
the dumb, the numb, the muted bum,
my face, my mouth and me.

2008-04-14

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

Politics on a small scale

She grabs and cuts and loves to slash 
with glee and rash, 
acts most offended when apprehended. 
Whoever stops her is subliminally called 
a criminal.
Withdrawing tactically threatening to resign 
she's showering a deceptive weakening 
hope 
on some 
while feeding fear of loss in everyone,
as she is sorely needed: a perpetual guard 
against the evil-minded unknown 
hordes. 

2008-10-21

Hure identifiziert
 
Tier 
das jagt mich ein Jahr 
ohne Gnade, das ist 
die Drohung 
mich 
zu verlieren im aufgerissenen 
Spalt 
eines Bebens bewirkt 
durch unerfindliche Maschinen 
das ist 
eine Hure im Souterain 
meines Hauses 
bedient 
einen Pornographiefilmprojektor 
der klappert 
und 
die traurigen Stöße der Darsteller pflanzen sich fort 

1998-06-17