it rained forty days and forty night
nah it didnt
however to live in
Californiafour years drought two days heavy rain winds it felt like forty
the earth a drowning man
unable to absorb it unable to breathe it shed the rain
runlets creeks burgeoned
two days later he went to the
creek
the erosion was devastating
from a downturned tree limb eight
feet now above the testy rapid water a black bra hung from its strap
homeless setup camps along
the creekbed
he kept his eyes peeled for
colour that looked like flesh
there wasnt a tit in the bra
before the next storm struck
the sun exercised its brilliance ferociously probably knowing itd be shuttered again another twothree days
kings majesties do not like to share their
realms
walkingreading he crossed on the
street between the towns historical City Hall and the Mall the fountain at its
feet
people families friends gathered
on the grass he glancedright returned
to his book his locomotion checked himceased Don be an asshole LOOK
slipping
his finger in the bookfiguring it best not to cross his unconsciousconsciousness he looked again let the book hang from his hand
like poorlyhooked bait
aahSEURAT he woudave been
enthused the Mall The Island of La Grande Jatte in its pointillistic splendor
he
thought Seurat because he and his kid brother used their paper
route money Hey Maw! We’re heading
out to play! You’re not back for lunch,
dinner’s at 5, you’re late no dinner. they
yelled We know! as the screened backdoor slapped home behind them they took the train into city summers to
visit The Art Institute of Chicago The
Island was part of its permanent collection the painting created by daubs of paintTWO YEARS TO CREATE blew their minds
the mall fountain would suffice for
the river Seine
his brother was head over heels
for Jatte
he preferred Landscape at
Saint-Ouen oil on panel rough brushstrokes also the three vowels in a row O U E excited him
Hey man shaddup, you know how oeuvre
affects me.
Yeah do, damn near sexual, can almost
imagine you jacking off to it.
he nodded
Yah. Almost.
his locomotion stutterstepped
his unconsciousconsciousness
asked Arent ya glad ya stopped See it fire off a cascade of memory neurons
he
nodded wasnt often he was taken
offstride by his greased innerworkings
Thank you
Yare welcome Thank you for
paying heed
1252, Thursday,
13 4. 23
1603, day-between-2-Ts, 3 5.
23
