PLANET GADANAYAN
Silk-carrying ships in
ash turn intimacy,
perish in a lingering
cuss of venom bones,
stroking the void,
volcano dove fragments
blossom like ripening
fruit in a wasteland
of chirping skulls,
in a scathing embrace,
writhing echoes of singed
sycamore, snake in
a fresh fire sunlight, as
drumming hounds loosen
church bell clouds to feast
on skyline movie cuts,
in a spiteful dusk of rusted
ribbons, hollow-cheeked
dewdrops sweep forgotten
clocks into a wilderness
of back beat prayers amok.
CINEMA SCREEN – CINEMA SCREEN
Cinema screen – cinema screen
let me dive in, I’ll be big in the movie
and I’m lizard-like thin,
cinema screen – cinema screen
the leading man is dead, I’ve got the face
for the space in the leading lady’s bed,
cinema screen – cinema screen
let me dive in, the projectionist is
sleeping and the lights are dim,
cinema screen – cinema screen
I’ll dive like a bomb, my suit is fitted
and my make-up is on,
cinema screen – cinema screen
let me dive in, let me drive through
the screen like a monster to swim,
cinema screen – cinema screen
don’t let them gatecrash, the popcorn
rowdies and the dirty mac flash,
cinema screen – cinema screen
let me dive in, the trailers have
finished let the movie begin,
cinema screen – cinema screen
don’t let me go home, back to
the life of an actor unknown,
cinema screen – cinema screen
let me dive in, I’ll be big in the movie
and I’m lizard-like thin.
EITHER WAY IT’S BAD
Trapped and hitched
or single and ditched –
either way it’s bad,
coupled and chained
or rejected and shamed –
don’t wish what you
could have had,
too short – too tall,
too great or small,
too young – too old –
too hot or cold,
too fat – too lean,
too dirty or clean,
too soft – too tough –
too smooth or rough,
trapped and hitched
or single and ditched –
either way it’s bad,
coupled and chained
or rejected and shamed –
don’t wish what you
could have had,
too high – too low,
too fast or slow,
too soon – too late,
too crooked or straight,
too flat – too curved,
too loose or reserved,
too sharp – too blunt,
too guarded or upfront,
trapped and hitched
or single and ditched –
either way it’s bad,
coupled and chained
or rejected and shamed –
don’t wish what you
could have had,
too distant or close,
too proper or gross,
too bald or too hairy,
too scared or too scary,
too complex or plain,
too active or lame,
too sour – too sweet –
untidy or neat,
trapped and hitched
or single and ditched –
either way it’s bad,
coupled and chained
or rejected and shamed –
don’t wish what you
could have had,
too shallow – too deep,
too pricey or cheap,
too safe – too wild,
too bland or styled,
too dull – too shiny,
too pleased or whiny,
too normal or crazy –
working or lazy,
trapped and hitched
or single and ditched –
either way it’s bad,
coupled and chained
or rejected and shamed –
don’t wish what
you could have had.
