These “anti-poems” are from an unpublished manuscript, “Pancake Consciousness — A Conceptual Novella.”

 

              i stand convinced
              that floating around in the potential of the mind
              lurks the Poison Thought
              the thought that once “thunk”
              will allow the host soul no rest
              until the moment of self destruction

              and today,
              unthinkingly, in all irony,
              i may have pushed a step closer
              to my own Poison Thought
              during a fantasy
              in which
              atlas meets sisyphus
              in times square

and, as if that were not enough
after a two hour conversation
all that each could think to do
was to trick the other
into
accepting his task
open the glove compartment
where, resting on the maps
pulsates the orgy primal:
the mounds of sweaty,
slithering,
moaning,
unusually naked peoples.
the hulking masses,
dressed only in teeming dreams,
breast to chest; lip to loin,
twisted in to out; double-helix legged:
tongues deep into the proper cavities.
there in the glove compartment
where, resting on the maps
which you feel you still need,
lie the Chilean dead.
shut the glove compartment.
there’s hurts so bigger than I knew of
where there’s not even any pain

there’s damage available more than I care to tell
so terrible, even salvation is possible

there’s rugs to pull out that I never dreamed of
where everything’s placed so far upside down you don’t notice

there’s loneliness so cold I dare say
it can feel like a reunion

there’s a flip side to our dreams I must point out
that stands just like life, less the life
i realized
but today
while you were busy killing six million jews
exactly why I love you so much
your hands are soft
your eyes glow
your words are well chosen

i realized
but today
while you were doctoring the watergate tapes
exactly why I love you so much
your body is flowing
your thighs are spreadable
your face has smiles

i realized
but today
while you were dropping napalm on children
exactly why I love you so much
your breath is fresh
your femininity is hygienic
your perfume is french

i realized
but today
while you were torturing albert schweitzer
exactly why I love you so much
you amuse me
you have personality
you have large breasts

i realized
but today
while you were slipping razor blades into apples
exactly why I love you so much
your teeth are white
you have a good tan
you say you love me