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John Allen

the man


the man from detox

had a wrist slim but taut

with bulging veins ripe

and pulsating with the tanned

authority of failed age.

he crumpled newspapers

like old ambitions and after

our discussions he'd lay

his head on bundles of them.

i thought walking home

about his unwashed hair bathing

in the sordid paper waters of

contemporary news, the

ageless wood of a park bench.

scandalized pigeons must have chirped

all night, swooping around his dreams



marlene


marlene's rosary beads hung sweating from the

smooth skin tone

which seemed a dark pap

smear screaming

for a heretic's grace. she gave

me a little newspaper, "the daily bread",

and seemed

surprised with rolling eyes that

i could quote christ. she talked

in melted avenues of steaming dissipation

through which the

martyrs seemed to scream. she

carded me with the hollow of her eyes.

she swayed

in her chair like a chicken

and stared

through vistas of smoke laced divinity.

maybe when she touched those

pipes she felt a little bit closer to god.

"she smoked

herself silly," my roommate said with fearful

contempt. perhaps this is true. though

her swaying carried me between

heaven and hell


[Index]

Thunder Sandwich #26 - Summer/Fall 2005