March 2, 2006

Poem Goes to the Hospital

Becomes addicted to
placeboes and the sounds of words
tented over his laboured
breathing . . .

A tube is inserted through his nose
to his stomach so he can
concentrate on his language
unimpeded by meals, taste, tongues . . .

Cancer is planted at the base of
his cerebral cortex—this
to accelerate the rhythm
and repeat his motifs—but
it makes Poem tired . . .

Germs invade
the vents and siphons
into Poem’s system—he is
corrupted, nervous and
circulating
meaning slips
into fever,
delusional, he convulses, generates
a new form:

a sleek,
elegant twist of flesh
the nurses don’t see as
Poem floats out the white window.

2 comments:

hardyf said...

eee they almost had Poem! he is becoming quite the complex character - a shape-shifter at that. his abilities astound me, his motivations intrigue. out the white window - awesome.

denielle said...

nice. i'm always so excited to see what poem is up to. "a sleek,/ elegant twist of flesh" ... hell ya!
i missed your reading yesterday, and i'm bitterly dissapointed with myself! i hope it went well.