The Normal Speed and Stance Of A Stranger

Eumaeus 609

a ship's reflection

growls on the water

husband neighbor and rainwife falter

flinching toward the world

and china, an anchor bitten

a morning navigated

with handy document you are a confirmer

your statement's remainders constructed of

clocks and mariners

them who richly deserve these

ferocious waters

their queer mouth manners left quivering in

certain disaster these growlers

with iceberg for hands and shifting arrivals

stay eating cradles discharged from chewing

and chewed become a fluke of their masters

all crowns and requests and plenty of bowing

coming on knees to spit fire

at maneaters remaining while still

being paid off at noon.

Eumaeus 610

Let's not talk of corpses nor

livers nor horses nor

tricks of breadgraters

eaters of diddies and raw loined

remainers not to say nothing of

fictitious discrepants who trick fate

and box up lurid surprises

and boggle us with fictitious seas

extensively travelled in volunteer boats

with suspicious hearts

and picture postcards of holy friends

childrenless exhibited longcherished

Wednesdays with narration

inquired of notice

with particular matter depicted.

Eumaeus 611

the line of need crosses the

isles of rage these days

where pleasure moves in circular shape

and sunspots point to opportunity

and tours of regret.

and we, the blameless, the luckless the joyless system

dwellers we keep our pace

with usual success

our fogeydom renewed and placed

between the summer and the street

O, Babylon your sweet schemes

make our acquaintance with

absurd sweetness.