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| Animals Joelle Hann January 2004 One by one the animals disappeared either shot or destroying each other or owned by banks or the military, the short dog, the eagle mean and not giving over, the terrible melancholic deer. I admired their efforts in the face of apocalypse and so lined up my inner animals in a similar formation: the happy stupid one, the cheater, the practicing intellectual, the yogini, the softball champion— They looked pretty good together, a nice cross-section of society so I fixed myself a scotch and smoked cigars Washington-style and laughed from deep under my pubic bones where my phantom penis nervously waited. Once gathered this way they acted like union officials out back on their breaks cigarettes burning in solidarity with the sunset: one by one they raised their hands over their hearts— I grew up with animals, you know. I always needed to rescue something. I never liked lace the troubling gaps masquerading as completions, and I never liked spring branches, that dripped with rain then became dry— There must be order. Fold clothes neatly and put them in drawers. Use make-up, mow the lawn. Eat right. The body gracious as a butler— As if nothing had happened someone put out her cigarette and sad as a Chihuahua said, "Heavy rustling of needles. Uplifted branches— their shapes offer them up but then they struggle against their shape—" no— —no one speaks like that I turned away. When I looked back she was gone like the animals. No! wait— "When I looked back she was laughing," Yes, like that, as though she actually saw something in the trees like a sign fortune tellers had posted giving up their charade: be prepared for no answer or maybe, be prepared for I.V.s and a crowd in the ward an approximation of a conclusion— a body’s knowledge here and there then changed into anything else— |
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The Rail invites you to a reading with Jason Flores-Williams and Brian Carreira, along with musical guest Steve Strunsky of the Lonesome Prairie Dogs. Thurs., Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m. Vox Pop--Flatbush, Brooklyn www.voxpop.net |
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OFF THE RAIL FALL 2005 at the Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library - Grand Army Plaza |
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The Independent Press Association-NY recently honored The Brooklyn Rail with the following awards: |