FCF 119

This
is the
sphere of interest

of
schizoanalytic aesthetics:
its problem is

not
beauty as
an object of

contemplation,
but the
way in which

bodies
perceive each
other in the

social
field. Me
and you, this

and
that, the
wasp and the

orchid.
We maybe
here            Why not?           Faint pronouns
fainter in the long night on the long horizon

shaking off a cloud

a
man named
“I can’t remember

anything”
rips pages
out of books

at
random &
studies them. The

eye
consumes these
things and conveys

them
to some
stomach that is

tough
or delicate.
These are the

defamiliarization
techniques with
which we are

so
familiar. Liek
nonelen tusked whoopee.

You
think you
see, but are

only
running fingers
through your pubic

hair.
and I know I

puff of smoke
insults
the future. Another citizen survived
torture – he repeated the word “Parmesan” while smothering
        in a bath of live worms and grasshoppers that were
transforming him into “a loathsome coward” –
        A citizen survived torture by repeating
the word “Parmesan” as he was smothered in a bath of live worms
        or grasshoppers that was transforming him into “a loathsome
coward.”

It’s
a parable
from the Zohar.

I’ll
free you
from demons, not

capitalism!
I’ll free
you from demons,

not
capitalism?? Think about
it … it may

not
be necessary
to express this

in
nonsense syllables.
OK. There is

a
repressed and
barely articulated grief –

the extensive killing that has formed the places in which we reside. Begin with the Middle Passage or the ridding and near extermination of many First Nations and indigenous peoples during the colonial expansion of Europe. Begin with the Armenian genocide, or begin with the Holocaust. The accelerating firestorms of aerial bombardment. Begin with the First World War or the Second. Begin with the deaths of diversity – bio-diversity or linguistic diversity. Begin wherever you want, back in another century.

“Plenty
of debris.
Plenty of smudges.”

the mouth                            the tongue                            the eyes

the burn                               the burned                            the burning

“Howdi, Smoky Night”

The window is open. The door
is open, and the fine sand on the floor tiles

bespeaks

the weakest and dearest
part of yourself,

[Note: Sources: Franco Bifo Berardi, Félix Guattari (trs. Giuseppina Mecchia and Charles J Stivale); Peter Dent, “Way Back”, in Settlement. From here to the end are two bits from each of the contributors in the first half of Onward: Contemporary Poetry & Poetics (ed. Peter Baker): Bernadette Mayer, “The Presentation of Fruitstands in January”, “Thoughts on a Course”; Paul Klee, as quoted by Lyn Hejinian, and Hejinian herself, “Resistance”, in “The Rejection of Closure”; Charles Bernstein, “The parts Are greater than the Sum of the Whole”; Rosmarie Waldrop, “Inserting the Mirror”, “Thinking of Follows”; Harry Matthews, “Birth (Draft)”, “Birth”; David Bergman, “Staying in the Lines”; John Taggart, “Were You / Notes & A Poem for Michael Palmer”; Rachel Blau DuPlessis, and William Carlos Williams, as quoted by DuPlessis, “On Drafts: A Memorandum of Understanding”; C D Wright, “Flame”, “the box this comes in (a deviation on poetry)”; Albert Cook, “What You Don’t Want is to Be reminded”, “The Time Has Come”]

Comments

[lolabola]

love the bit starting with "a man named" and also "the mouth the tongue the eyes" straight to the end

[coach bags]

Aimee,
That's a great question. Being so focused on WHERE THINGS COME BACK and getting it ready for bookshelves hasn't allowed for much talk of a second novel. Because it's such a long process (usually 18 months at least from contract to shelves), there isn't any rush in seeing a second book. My agent has, however, read much of the one I'm working on and has discussed it with me. As far as their approval of my approach to writing-it isn't really something that's an issue...at least not as far as I can tell. I think they've worked with enough writers to know that we all have our own systems of getting the job done.
I'm also happy to report that, as of yesterday, I'm back to work (slowly but surely) on novel # 2.
Thanks,