In The Green Sea

A climbing violet bruise belches from the sugar mill smoke stacks
we rut like feral dogs in the black dirt swill rows of raucous stalk
dark mud smearing across your hard rust nipples

parade march of knotted cane boogie woogie on windy breath
a violence in the harvest
a little taste of rotten mulch
drunk on the thick sips of sweet molasses from the open wound of your hungry mouth.

TA

This Is The Last One

No more pretty poesy
of the chicken soul
written just for you
this stuff ain't for dead girls

besides

you broke my heart when
they said you vanished
but I won't admit
I cared enough.

TA

Roach Motella

Felt a little like Jack Kerouac's dispirited specter
crawling across the faded cum-colored carpet
ghostly chorus calling beatnik rhyme
hookers in the hallway drumming on the sheetrock
night cops catcalling crime screeching radios
whoop whoop the speaker shreds
do a dance in the strobe light
stroking midnight's throbbing whistle

I leech to moldy leeward
plumb off-center to avoid some soiled stumbling stranger
pinball wizard in the labyrinth
an exotic spice spilling from an open door crack
faceless violence and muffled arguments
my head retreats into the safe fortress of my shoulders
some exuberant orgasm in apogee

the door is locked fast but the seals are public
Missouri's morning alarm clanging into my consciousness
I go slipping from sleep to sheets to permeation
He is risen
the tornado sirens decry
twisting swish swish spreading the gospel on tangled ribbons of barn tin
the motel a mezzanine to purpling concerto
chorus of the cavernous industrial washing machines
in the downstairs lobby
behind which a gelatinous receptionist flashes a sad gray smile.

TA

Toothless Landry

I heard you gurgle in the parking lot
a life's last breath blown through the open cupboards
where teeth used to be

his royal highness
Mexico's highborn jailbait
young buck with a paperback book tucked in his back pocket
popped you in the mouth hard
and squeezed your neck

you were strangled in the back of a pickup truck
you're gonna lose your job, man
I only knew you for two months
we told each other I love you

you brought a woman to a Silver City hotel room
but she only wanted coke
we're out here in the desert, man
what the fuck are you doing?

born from a bastard bartender
your father is immortal in the coastal parish
he dates them young
your best friend does

I heard you gurgle
your blue face six inches from parking lot pavement
you helped me with my flat tire
we told each other I love you.

TA

A Banana a Day

from my knees a heathen still
pressing penitent pushups into the stained hotel carpet
witch's brew bubbling in my plastic nalgene cauldron
caffeine inquisitors drip drip drip
interrogators of my dramatic impulses
blood sacrifice to fast-twitch science
I filter mushroom creatine through a pirate's twisted moustache
twinkling gleen of green soup
sword swallowers and men in black masks
my childhood hero parade

coming up red face
aging into a corset I am battling with sugar babies to control
they play a big black piano on my ribcage
I play a mouth harp on my guts
sallow mush of self-hate shoved into my cold morning mouth
once, I was a boy splashing in ditch water
now, I drink that ditch water daily
a mud tongue love affair
a hundred yellow years

could I save a baby burning on the stove?
could I catch you if you stole my purse?
I guess it just keeps getting harder
my lungs like a pair of suitcases stuffed with weekend cocaine
my bank account stuffed with canceled streaming services
I'll die penniless in panties and torn stockings
my gams finally conquered
my torn heart burst on a perfect pair of pecs

but not just yet
oh boy
the best dressed poet in Montreal has confessed his sins
there are still a few of y'all left to meet
without our clothes
kissing when the sun comes up
my hope is to wear this skin well
this suit for the world
for all of you.

TA