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February 15, 2015 / barton smock

sleeps (i)

my daughter is seized by a dream to endure her mother’s preoccupation with death. while waiting for his pillow’s heart to stop, my son resolves to keep the mirror’s brain. that each might skip the parts I’ve memorized, I read to them from a room I’ve put on the spot. when we pray, we’ll pray we were here to the idea we are.

February 15, 2015 / barton smock

sleeps (ii)

could be
god
is god
because
our world
is the least
of his father’s
worries

February 13, 2015 / barton smock

the alien wept but was not heard weeping

not all
drones
dream
of you

February 13, 2015 / barton smock

high

mother, in the early stages of her food fight with god.

father, I can’t bury
my face.

in lieu
of the lord’s
dog, raise

the lord’s
bone.

February 13, 2015 / barton smock

root effects

for Miles J. Bell

like he’s laying
yellow
on his road
out of grief
brother
takes a drag
and keeps it
until his head
is underwater
is what they call
with apples.

his eyes
have always been
two poverties
unexplored. he is old, alien’s

heaven
he is old
but not before
he knows it.

February 12, 2015 / barton smock

pilot light

baby, baby talk, and pilot light.

kitchens everywhere,
god is alone.

February 12, 2015 / barton smock

move

I know it is common
in drawings
to place the dream
above the boy
having it.

the contents of my mourning
include the phrase
I acquired
in secret
from a man
whose legs
were not
crushed.

I can hear myself seeing.

February 12, 2015 / barton smock

post

I exhaust my children by going back and forth on god

February 12, 2015 / barton smock

cancer

my father jokes that he is only attracted to gay men.

that my two left hands
must’ve rubbed a balloon
the wrong way. that if I kiss

his bald

head
I’d better
have with me

a comb.

February 11, 2015 / barton smock

the tame

I have what is called my father’s face. my son has a hand because my son holds a stone. the mother stomps her feet in the name of the holy ghost known for running the orphanage into the ground. the sister sees god but does not see god shove a dead bird down her brother’s pants. the brother believes in god so god will cure him. sitting on this swing has made me fat.