Coffee Felons on the Loose

i.

TEXAS DRAWL

The phrase cowboy art
I’m into an advanced reading
There’s a lot of fear and boasting here
Relying entirely on slapstick comedy
But high heels and a smile
Shrimp biryani. Even
Standard chutneys
Vehicle on a gravel road.

[them2]

ii.

CAPAEAO

Cowboy art:
An advanced word dugout —
Powerful metaphor —
A lot: and boasting:
Entirely of, but high.
A smile, even standard,
On a hazel eye.

[them2 again]

panther night

sesame
in the wild of
new verb
axe lightning
change your ways vision
by river storm
in river born
dead by sea / fly by night
Àshe
flash pot. peregrine. leopard.
ace of diamonds / eye of hearts
cypress root.
cedar.
pine.
oak.
red is missing. blue is near.
black the mother tongue. black.
the mother tongue. black. the mother.

Alterations

Alternate realities. A poem in white and black:

Estuary Shroud

Rana walked in the afternoon heat
Teardrop leaves, gold dust pollen at his feet
Shiva rumbled from his distance
Dreams of wet
The silent ones are listing

Why the long ache
Why the congenital speak
Why the inverse proportion
Anvil interpretation
Acetylene meadow
Coffin estuary
Shroud upon the noun

This is classic denial
Deaf leper at the crossroads
Kensington Square
These yellow hands
Feel the cartilage
Lose the bone, separate
Cast from crown
Wheat from chaff
Shuddering:

Call the day this
Giant heart, this blowing
Wind, this diligent pearl.