I.
the cowboy with his
turned-up collared coat
and sword drawn at the ready
AK47 slung over plated armour
gathers every varnished weapon
each painted ammo kit
his whetstone and mace
and his panic
makes a run for it
and so
the boy not far
collapses
ii.
the CRT laps his eyes
wet with static impatience
and tri-colour scratch marks
the laptop, a trap card
his hand caught between key
presses of WATCH NOW
and SEE MORE
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE
DROOL’d down his cheek
the cracked walls thanked him
for how carefully the boy
never paid attention
to their gaping leaks
iii.
STOP IT
STOPIT
STOPITSTOPIT
STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSROSPRSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOS
he buried those words as soon as they became useless
the word was life, and life was only:
ID BE HAPPY TO.
= D
iv.
WHY was a different language
never learned, sporadically deployed
in bad accents and poor grammar
b+ at best
v.
he tapped his fingers in waiting rooms
pleasant hallways and smiling receptionists
class desks with ordered teachers
watching the leaks and
anticipating the day
the real will erupt
vi.
what if I told you
That I wanted to die?
Would you still love me then?
Would you comply?
…
Let’s take a walk.
vii.
I NEED YOU TO SEE ME
SEE ME AEE ME SEEME
I NEED SOMEBODY TO SEE HOW MUCH THIS HURTSI
NOBODY HAS EVER SEEB ME BEFORE
SEE ME SEE ME SEE ME SEE ME
viii.
i was told to watch her die.
ix.
this body craves stimulation
It’s so dull to not bleed.
x.
So, he was the boy in perpetual disorientation then.
Xi.
IT DOESN’t MAKE SENSE
NONE OF IT MAKES SENSE NONE OF IT WHY ARE THEY DOING THAT WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHYW HWY HWYEHTBF
xii.
the static would like to say hello to you, paul.
xiii.
there they clang the hanging man,
Whose skull is but bare brass
there they clang the hanging man,
his head an empty staff