the clementine yoyo effect

the clementine yoyo effect


::part one::

a legend begins under our tongues
as we pass flags of nations we trust

(although it was a bit gusty
in morocco today):

the park closes at 1pm -but how?- you muse,
and you conclude,

they must cover it in a blanket -
a death blanket! - you say, and if

one is careless enough to visit after 1pm
they will be cursed by the death blanket.

the curse is death foot,
wherein if the infected kick someone

just the right way, in just the right spot,
just below the nose

then the infected will bring death
to the someone they kick.


::part two::

large girls in black, reading poems.
i am wearing brown.

i am medium and i will not read you my poems.
i will let you read them.

you can imagine them on the green wall
that she brought to our attention.

meanwhile i will wonder
which part you laughed at

and which line
made you smile just so.


::part three::

let's pretend i met you at an art show,
or an exhibit

where your art was hanging
all around us.

you would offer me a clementine
and i would ask you for a sharpie

to write your name and number on
the small orange fruit

for safe keeping or a late night snack.
and on it, because you are the artist -remember-

you write, 'would like to feed you
pekoe tea and german gummi bears some time'.