Ron Reikki

I’M IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND I KNOW I’M NOT GETTING THE JOB

but we still have to finish this meal.

They bought me durian for dessert;

eating it is like preparing an essay

for a teacher you hate.  The woman across from me

is a drunk, but she works here.  How did she

get in?  We eat.  We don’t know what to say.

I start talking about Jeff Noon’s Vurt

but no one’s heard of it.  Now I feel

like I could vomit.  I’m ready to kill someone

for a job.  When they’ve never had to work for one.

PAM (STARING INTO THE SUN)

I keep thinking about when she left.

There was this burning smell in the riot

of my breaths.

                        I think the greatest horror

is realizing you can’t kiss someone again.

I think it’s too fiery, these realizations . . .

The past only leaves you with steam.

Brian S. Hart

excerpt from
The Psychoanalysis of Clarence Checkeredfish

 

|snow * of the visible * breath * peters to blue * fog * of dreamy night stories, awesome is this day * men and women born all over * “…never does a soldier give up the cause…” * again * who will bear the honor * wear * the uniform, with the Green Sprig on * the left shoulder, a commendation-pledge of allegiance to American farmers * alongside Antoine Elephant * the world trembles * even the King * is not afraid to * bow down * “Where’s Luke Day…” * our ((24) “Mangled clue A peeves, surprise advantage” (3, 2, 6 3 wds. 173 24 193 241 4 240 129 255 116 248 13)) * “‘Messy’ should have reached him by now…” * says a * nervous * Longhill St. * farmer * know now great storm of history *cannot be changed * only the future * abides * by * spirits * forever about * what will the * promise * of today * be * to America’s * future * “‘Trader’ Mills, Cap’n should we shoe him out…” * nah! * ignore it * then * nod * t’ * get “Kid” Root out of here * will a diamond * be kept * inside * a chest * now * and always * the timeline * in mad leaps and bounds * rushes * ahead * or back * depends * upon * answers to mysteries, and then new ones * Chinese dolls inside dolls * in lavish dresses * twirling parasols * stroll * along the Tao * Lao Tzu says * “the spirit of the fountain dies not” * ages * like wine * ice lay in a sea of madness * the pretty skater is sure to * dance a * cart * wheel * another * pirouette to Hayden! * playful * gentlemen arrive in tuxedos * aren’t about to miss it * sharpened skates screech to a delicate halt, the complex * minuet finishes * water breaks * tears * of joy * gush * overflow * fall * like ticker-tape * to cryptic streets and memories * (“See, here! There! Dr. Seuss of Mulberry St, at the crossroads of ((2) 6 1 wd. 198 180 95 125 168 210) and ((1) 7 1 wd. 79 151 53 163 200 7 174) * the heights * of Billy Conn * Blvd.! * or ((21) “Lion tamer’s straw, influence with exhilaration! Famous Western Massachusetts road!” (6, 5, 7 3 wds. 161 224 218 236 50 143 54 35 212 177 204 87 123 100 49 221 230 60)) a tiny girl * to be a woman! * pirate! * says * “Roses for the Main St. girl!” * she’s a fan of Archimedes! * crown achievement! * salut! * Eureka! * “…all behind the…” * curtain, mirrors * you, too * “…are welcome...” * come join, celebrate * the Queen’s coronation * everyone enjoys a wild parade * centuries ago * snow|

|snow * Pic…a’s * ’magine * dilettan…t…e * prevent * ma…ll…e… * …n…a…ble * ane…choi…c * d’…gung…h…o…t…e…x * ce…l…a…n… * d…in…e…bri…cabrac…ate * architec’ * …ul…ture… * o’ * …en…jantment * Mrs. Winchester * Wicca * as * k…h…a…li…b…e…i…r…u…t…k…i…a…ta’…vism * dasha’ * so * eas’ly * totala’ * Cap’d * shakes’ * spirit * snow|

|snow * “Memorize…!” * so * einstein * born * in * german! * europ * franc! * gese * omin! * calm * tho * rainy! * titani * rub! * bery * oxen! * od * state * californi * suf! * dym * polo * hall! * coal * lit * radi! * alumin * haf * pot! * plat phor us! * americ * anthum * tune! * sele * act! * mercy * no * bel! * nice * ruth * gal * tellur * lambeosaur! * hdgen * camiu! * fem * lori * gon! * ado * prom * tim! * silc * trim * denum * hem! * fur * ’enon * go! * sir * ron * he * irc pal * ’erb! * men * ces! * are * thu * yt! * scan * pros * mag! * indi * car on! * tech * inc! * homi * lad * lute! * obi * rid! * law * proact! * samari * cop * van * rod * bam! * kypt * gaol! * mum! * stron * cerium! * tanta * yum! * trogen * cur! * bek * pluto! * bimuth * prased * neptun! * “Ele…menta…l…ry, my dear…son!” * séance * alchemy * T.A.B.L.E. * to * transition! * slowly, now * could be *  genuine * ESP! * “Yes, S’r!” * BeCaMgRaBa! * send * Halloween * letters * IIA! * rare Earth! * dinosaur * land! * radio attack! * Mrs. Winchester * give you! * Ca. tan! * meteor * credit for! * extra * laugh at! * sheets * book! * who * Dee * knee * under * cover…s! * egg! * please allow! * costume! * let! * Hg * Welles * ZnCd! * grow * up * why not be a * chemist! * uh! * ue! * us! * uq! * un! * uo! * snow|

|snow * hike * through! * tri slant! * bakers * tress * crooked! * pass Bacchus’ shadow! * on * way of life! * eyes! * “do…” * Oahu! * “…take…” * …ze… * …n * “…as lawful…” * t… * …w… * …o… * scramble * “w…” * …o… * r… * h… * “…e…” * …a… * …r… * “…d…” * “…d…” * …s… * …n… …a… * …t… * …r… * …e… * a… * …n… * …c… * …h… * “…ed” * wif… * …fl… * …e * ball! * “I” * think I * “do!” * so! * islands are just! * Descartes * to * Xantippe * of * mount… * ….ebank! * backbite! * relish * baklava! * King * at * Olympus * time! * a… * …Z… * e… * …u… * …r… * …o…-z… * …e… * r… * …r * …O… * a… * …st… * …er * …ra… * …N… * …g… * …E… …S…! * make int… * …r… * o! * specialty is! * T… * …ok… * …a * …y… * …o! * a la King! * “This is…” * Philip… * pines * to smoke * …t.… * …o… * b… * …ac… * backspin! * reverse psychology! * violin * engender * sextet *fugue * remembers * Bach * backwards! * backstage! * Pirate Blue * consult Baedeker * for * apron * type! * smart! * Polynesian! * Gallicism! * rich * franc * is * bacon! * boy * to * cook * breakfast * now! * pot! * bum rang * British * bar… * …t… * …en… * …d… * …in… * …er! * care * to * take! * …r… * …evolutionary * come back * for another! * simple * matter of * m… * …ate! * bigmouth sleeper! * can probably bench… * press 32 * …c…. * …ar… * …at… * …o… * …us… * …a… * …l… * …lion! * of… * …f * woods! * bluff * worldly * sea * lion * Queen! * Galapagos! * attractive! * her majesty’s * seahorse! * Ja… * …Pan * race * around * cake! * kick ! * slips! * ha! * r’… * …m… * …o… * …l… * …as… * …e… * …n… * …o… * …n… * …s… * …e… * …n… * …s… * …e… * …mble… * …y! * girl * act! * shop * quartet * verse * o’ * “Midsummer…” * between * gi… * …g * “…Night’s …” * adder * bo… * …X * against * spring * …presse… * …s… * …war… * …d… …im… * …m… * …inent * …er! * isles! * bees! * dar… * …wi… * …n… * …ed! * fool! * mistaken for! * Poe! * t… * …hin air! * at cloud * gather! * to * Alaska! * May * break * altitude * record! * Jun… * …co… * …e… * …d * …au… * …phin * Sun * on burner! * swim to! * nothing * time o’ * backdate! * not yeti! * few months * to * block * new * beautiful * girl * Jul’ * of * T’bet! * August… * …t… * …an! * handle! * where * time * hono’! * Lulu * is! * more beautiful than! * house! * arrest! * me * on * leave! * of absence! * how far! * west * from * England! * Corp. Bird * please * to remember * Pittsburgh * say * always * keep ya’ * moustache * through * out! * snow|

|snow * d… * UNESC… * …O! * …p… * …r… * …e… * …t… * …or… * …t… * ….y * sand * verses! * beautiful! * mer! * Lyn! * Ace of Diamonds * artwork! not so! * pointed! * bea… * …r… * …ds * d… * …o… * …w… * …n! * all looks! * magical! * exactly! * like little crush! * Bebryx * shirt! * on * hard knocks! * bema gal! * whistle at gam! * ((7) “Fischer’s yak! Becoming girl’s footwear!” (8 1 wd. 104 63 242 148 83 67 189 179)) * cheer * damsel * in * distress! * wish * to * give athlete * lei! * gamy * gamine! * jest! * to visit! * yegg! * dream cycle! * gammon! * Las * V… * eg… * ascoda Gama! * blackjack * hit  * with 2 * straw * boot! * jacquard * cuss * 3 * toe! * bigmouth jerkwater * take * basilisk to alcazar! * death * rod * of * rattle * born * snake! * Corp. Bird * aflutter! * wake-robin * to * witch hazel! * brew * Mrs. Winchester * freestanding! * surprise! * gamble * on * hot * port o’ * mu… * …ch… * …o… * …a… * …c… * …o… * …ha * late * morning * game! * Pirate Blue * jaunty * jumper * who’ll save! * ogle * Hercules! * throw stone! * demarcate! * gambol! * pick-up! * joie de vivre! * member! * Charlie Plume! farmer * pear * tre… * …mo… * …r… * …lo * v… * …e… * ..l… * …vet! *  h… * …ar… * …b… * …or… * …s * d’oeu * …v… * …r… * …es * …t * au * r… * …e… * …a… * …n… * …t… * …e * for cause! * snow|