Chapter 1 - Connection is not completion in the language ecosystem. Bitchez.

Here is another wall of my office.

I just finished the first chapter of my thesis. This hasn't been an easy process. Just ask the people I share a hall with. They walk past and glance in, usually just to see me sitting/laying on the floor, trying to organize peices of paper in an order that will eventually be completely re-ordered. Several have compared me to John Nash, Russell Crowe's character from A Beautiful Mind. I don't argue with them. The chapter draft is due on Wednesday. I'm done 4 days early ;)

Ode to Gina Cooke

Look sales guy
quit talking
go away

no follow-up
no dropping-in
no walk-ins

Did I mention
I am busy at work
working when I'm at work


Now
quit telling me about your dreams
entrepreneur monkey
HP - and what is wrong with it

quit. telling. me. ANYTHING.

cept "goodbye" or
"I'll email you"

Now
get out of my office

Love,
Gina

I work as critic of poetry
it's resistance to being critiqued

being her face stands a positive
legs don't either, hear that
high--
tiger you yearly wine fight
Oh Santa Monica - too quick
happy off the bicycle
high-date me.

This man
rides up to here
all in orange orange
happy, smiling
left no
no not left and smile
and (I wonder if she would date me)
bathroom. Don't make eye contact.
Must be craziest
happy. smiling. coffee tea bicycle muffin music sunshine orange suit

(her maybe) (I'm not desperate, am I?)
must be crazy.

Tickle Dip

tickle dip
though only blue bristle
can though juice


hair and
skin

tight and mauve and voice

Reasons Why

Just because I loves you-
That's de reason why
Ma soul is full of color
Like de wings of a butterfly.

Just because I loves you
Thats de reason why
Ma heart's a fluttering aspen leaf
When you pass by.

-Langston Hughes

God

I am God-
Without one friend,
Alone in my purity
World without end.

Below me young lovers
Tread the sweet ground-
But I am God-
I cannot come down.

Spring!
Life is love!
Love is life only!
Better to be human
Than God-and lonely.

-Langston Hughes

Suicide's Note

The calm,
Cool face of the river
Asked me for a kiss.

-Langston Hughes

Fascination

Her teeth are as white as the meat of an apple,

Her lips are like dark ripe plums.

I love her.

Her hair is a midnight mass, a dusky aurora.

I love her.

And because her skin is the brown of an oak leaf in autumn, but a softer color,

I want to kiss her.

-Langston Hughes