Tony Mancus
I must look horribly American
sweat down wind, sheets of paper, chest of cleft
heart the thumping
three of knowledge – a suited card you dress
each morning with
feathers
How to ask a question of the blades
reflected
spinning in the shined spigot
watch the servers
press the glasses into stacks
There is no form to capture
the six of starlight
the jack of free will
a bolt in each neck when death bears down
each of us downhilled/a still water
stiff-billing after decades of the moving style
In our future the faces & guitars are all boxed up.
Blades turn on the benches dark wood
& how many thousands turn over the two of pale song?
Laughing into the cut of strangers
a volume not turn-downable/when the dead man hangs
from his judo belt & the taxis spill their passengers out
red water
double-red
in the stopped light
the continent a dividing line, itself – dim green
in the lunching hour
& who has pockets
& who the king of pistols, who the braying clock
& sample size of noon?
A category of action I will.
The swiftly downed dream, a small beer, café at 2.
The medium wage/wave of cooks,
how they know what’s wanted & where
the knee bends to creak – each stage
a tour of cups and downing
where the fire extinguisher wears its nose
like a flute, take your water to the beat
of the keys you walk
& order anything you want
at the counter.
Your heart left in place of what sculpture
was meant to press in there.
So long expecting several considerations
from those you love:
the nine of walking steps
the eight of discarded cigarettes
the seven of inopportunity
the five of informed guesses
the four of every corner
the ace of holes
the queen of magazine covers
a crowd in the window
you call a crown
Tony Mancus is the author of two chapbooks -Bye Land (Greying Ghost) and Bye Sea (Tree Lights Books - forthcoming). He co-founded Flying Guillotine Press with Sommer Browning in 2008. He currently lives in Rosslyn, VA with his wife Shannon and their two cats.
Return to May 2013 Edition
sweat down wind, sheets of paper, chest of cleft
heart the thumping
three of knowledge – a suited card you dress
each morning with
feathers
How to ask a question of the blades
reflected
spinning in the shined spigot
watch the servers
press the glasses into stacks
There is no form to capture
the six of starlight
the jack of free will
a bolt in each neck when death bears down
each of us downhilled/a still water
stiff-billing after decades of the moving style
In our future the faces & guitars are all boxed up.
Blades turn on the benches dark wood
& how many thousands turn over the two of pale song?
Laughing into the cut of strangers
a volume not turn-downable/when the dead man hangs
from his judo belt & the taxis spill their passengers out
red water
double-red
in the stopped light
the continent a dividing line, itself – dim green
in the lunching hour
& who has pockets
& who the king of pistols, who the braying clock
& sample size of noon?
A category of action I will.
The swiftly downed dream, a small beer, café at 2.
The medium wage/wave of cooks,
how they know what’s wanted & where
the knee bends to creak – each stage
a tour of cups and downing
where the fire extinguisher wears its nose
like a flute, take your water to the beat
of the keys you walk
& order anything you want
at the counter.
Your heart left in place of what sculpture
was meant to press in there.
So long expecting several considerations
from those you love:
the nine of walking steps
the eight of discarded cigarettes
the seven of inopportunity
the five of informed guesses
the four of every corner
the ace of holes
the queen of magazine covers
a crowd in the window
you call a crown
Tony Mancus is the author of two chapbooks -Bye Land (Greying Ghost) and Bye Sea (Tree Lights Books - forthcoming). He co-founded Flying Guillotine Press with Sommer Browning in 2008. He currently lives in Rosslyn, VA with his wife Shannon and their two cats.
Return to May 2013 Edition