these are the things of the land

February 23, 2010 at 10:59 pm · Filed under Uncategorized and tagged: dalkey archive, existence, HTMLGIANT, james chapman, pith & amber, ride the chariot, so many books contest, sycamore

there is a feeling

sycamore has been finished.
it is not the new american novel.
it is not the novella you will read under your covers at night.
it is the short story that will make your head deny itself air.

it is still called, “scrape bark of the sycamore with your teeth; scrape the moon.”
but now it is finished.

pith & amber.
excitement.

james chapman’s the rat veda is coming out soon.
the day it comes out, the sun will explode.
i have held it in my hands and ran my fingers over the words.
elevated ink.
this is the page of it.
joy.

there is a silver and gold knot on my finger
and i am floating.

also i am doing HTMLGIANT’s “so many books contest”.
they say write a love story.
they say write less than 3500 words.
they say incorporate the numbers “100” and “500”.
they say prize is 100 dalkey archive books.
they say jump, i say, “how high?”
i am doing this contest.

today i am being a woman.
tomorrow i am singing, “are you ready my brother? are you ready for the journey? do you wanna see your jesus? i’m waiting for the chariot ’cause i’m ready to go.”
next week i am looking out into darkness at a pale face with eyes blistering blue.
yesterday i did not die.
this is good.

i am writing a book called “deuteronomy.”
every page is a mosaic of leaves
with four-letter symbols printed on them,
woven together by the communal hair.
fifty of these will be made.

i am writing a book called “the voices of earth are many and striated.”
it is a history of death.
one of these will be made.

my womanhood is attempting to kill me.
there is a feeling
that these are the things of the land.

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