Takeout

TakeoutCopyright Jack GalmitzImpress 2015New York, New York978-1-329-18032-1

Takeout

Jack Galmitz

walking the dogthe suncame along

the clouds hang low& touch the harvested fieldI hear a clavier

in a park benchin a city somewhereI carved Jack & Ann

what remainsmy mother's birth certificateher sister's lock of hair

sitting on the stooplistening to cicadasthe neighbors' banter

after the slaughterof the 1800sbison burgers

we played catchafter sunsetthe ball was a planet

I eat aloneat my computer tablemy wife and stepson eat together

she may as wellbe on the moonrather than the next room

old vinyl albumsleft outside in the garbagelook, Chubby Checkers

a dead catunmoved for weeksbecomes the grass

sometimes I'm so angrythat my teeth showan old languagethat I know

I have becomelettersarranged on a page

when you slow down soundyou hear your heartbeat

in my cerealsubatomicparticles&strawberries

asIenterherpicking from a cherry tree

the table setthe chandelier litthe clouds at sunset

at night I'm followedby a black dog old and strongwhere's the harm

I had a dreamabout youI called you light

territoryfits me& my radioactivedog

thewordstumphurt

thesoldierslightup

darkasdeercross

alienshavemovedin

weathered road signpeeling layersof old advertisements

inphotographswe'rechildren

drummer boyyourenine

handed the ballwhen I saw it was a gameI let it fall

The monochrometurns out to be the skythe specks- birds flying

the seais semaphore& integrity

candle flamehaving studieddervish ways

The cat dreams of bloodlook at it runlook at it run

I listen to the seahoping to catchwhere something begins

starry nightthe lights daubed outwith black house-paint

passed out drunka father sleeps on the couchhis daughter's doll crushed

The son of man returns ornamental pears

Christmas morningseeing my sons facewhen he finds the AK-47

in Latviathe light of a UFObrightens a gas station

in the dinnereach man carries a gunand praises Jesus

every morningI wash off the bloodamniotic fluid and vernix

motherhad a sword in her mouthto judge the world

my friendwore a tinfoil hatbut I stood out

what structurecould withstand a great shockmake it up

I thought of a drumlike a splinter underthe nail of my thumb

froma cherrytree