Thursday, February 16, 2023


TED BERRIGAN
"Presence"
____________________

and I am lost in the ringing elevator
sweeping me to the top
there there were pine needles
dreams of symbolism
star light                  the cord “reaches”
sheepish lights                 you turned me on
Bildungsroman of the bathrobe ride
and the briny sound of the alarm
Love 
ribbons your presence on the white and green sheet
in the ideal society pants
I had asked for a hook-and-ladder
the top had been “sliced”
a funny feeling prompted me out of bed
reflecting dilemmas                majorities
it was turkey
the part that goes over the fence last
one is reminded of constellations
he waggles                 the fat whiteness of milk
takes                  The End.

Now we can make some explosions
shine like money
Francis is not a diminutive                thank you
others are less legs
thighs wings breast
that night we slept reverently                (you lust
I must lust in–
vigorating                        the sixteen genre
dragon                  bottle-opener
spiral cuff-link aerial
grease                   Caress the window, John
as you are not yet 12 
19?                  40?                  who pulls me down?
facade of the wonderful orient word
“doilies”

Overhead the moon is out
blacking my shoes, face
we were all livid, numinous

Things whip toward the center
licking the palate of his headache
this indicates your future
meditates on his wish which is
hooked onto the top and draped archly

Childhood fuses                 a mystery play
which ribbons the marvelous laurel                  the loop–
Take off your beautiful blouse, you foolish girl!
Are you list–                    with this ring I
eye thee
(that was later, out west, after more baseball
some turkey
a wristwatch, dictionary, sniper suit, rifle
to “meditate”
(is there room in the time to atune in?) 

They were incensed at his arrival
Now we are glad                   it was stinky
some paint them black in the face to be quaint or something
I don’t know
one symbol fact seems valid
all hate it to be right
on the cards
which are sometimes funky (aesthetic) having
snow of feet and that a domination.
Then we had presence.


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