Poetry by rob mclennan in Shampoo Issue 18

for nathalie stephens

1.

go big or go. a machine-shop of users. brings
the car around. takes four days

to do anything. whether this is unreal, the taste
& the texture. four headboards appear.

a metaphysical ruse. the twelve parts
of her. misnumbered. a torn

progressive edge. is this a matter
of schoolchildren. open your eyes.

whoever said, that the mouth
has no memory. we forget

in stages. the pistols were drawn.
where the ink. streaks in wet. punch

in the spit. a queen & a company.
wont get a “B,” but be torn

a new “A.” the wrong kind of bicycle.
insensitive rain. a bludgeon

of parcels. the rattle
of church windows. impeccable stone.

would it bleed down. tears
from the fountain. a care underneath.

the torn pages of some. manicured lawns
w/ bad haircuts. mullets in some.

the terror in timing. they hide out
in trees. shoot low, sheriff. a person

reads. a simple master. the emergence
of nothing. the green trees

along paisley street. the ninth redhead
in a row. collectibles indoors.

a record of teaching. the cold monarchs teeth.
displays out in boulder. a hectic

for the day. a day. the long dark.
drive the reading registers.

2.

he works out the thing. the trouble w/ people.
an old rotten song. shook out

from sleep. do the motions forgive. his heart
in the caverns. prohibition in turns.

she swallows the headrock. tell the type
what to follow. a bit of grass to cut.

the song she wont know. knock yourself
out the doors. the first question, what

to tell you. nobodys business
but yours. what would i tell him.

a magnificent range. a magnificent
rage. all written in paisley. torn

jeans down the crack. a lazy
considered. were nothing but trees.

woke up not alone. knew nothing
of sleep. a kiss four hours long.

would this be the last. the month
that he met her. ontario farms.

the train whistle blows me. a castle
on mars. she wipes off the table.

before she sits down. thick fingers
in paste. the coffee would burn.

everybody in furs. her pants
start to stretch. the fashion

that time. a layer of onions. a song
they forgot. a tune stolen since.

a pig-headed endeavor. a series
of resolute. a crossing-guards tong.

would you hand me that hammer. brew
beer not the root. does it happen

that way. if you were three birds.
a leaf in the trees. a breath.