Aftertaste of Birth
Look at these magnificent viaducts!I stuttered while I scissorfucked a girl aimlessly, two heathens at cross purposes.Oversharer, you should have started elsewhere.
Senators open love letters chockablock with ricin.But why not mandrake, or wolfsbane?Mark E. Smith knew his haruspex from his anthrax though admittedly a great flabby flapping cunt was he.
Am I not a man? Do I not LOL?Maybe Father was right. It's a numbers game.I should just stick to my cards. Miracles happen every day.
Now you insist everything's already been said,and probably better, by others.
Why do you denigrate what you do not understand?It's preferable to understand nothing. You should try it.It's working for a lot of people.
Some people won't stop sayingIN TODAY'S WORLD and those are the ones we hate. IN TODAY'S WORLD some people never learn.IN TODAY'S WORLD some people are always the problem.
Give us Barrabbas, they cry in the darkness,forsooth, forsooth.
I bet you don't even know what that means.Close your browser. We're done here.
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:22 (ten years ago) link
points off for misspelling barabbas
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:29 (ten years ago) link
Points off for dissing MES.
― emil.y, Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:31 (ten years ago) link
I love MES!
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:32 (ten years ago) link
^__^
― emil.y, Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:32 (ten years ago) link
I plead unreliable narrator
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:33 (ten years ago) link
I like all of these so far, btw.
― emil.y, Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:33 (ten years ago) link
waiting for el mo
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:36 (ten years ago) link
he won't post his poem till he's in his right mind
― truth bomb lawyer mean mean pride (Edward III), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:39 (ten years ago) link
it'll happen.
― a ridiculous clusterfuck of totally uncool jokers (elmo argonaut), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:44 (ten years ago) link
love the last two lines of Aimless's poem
― unregistered, Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:50 (ten years ago) link
"The Contrary Blues"
Born in the haze of a summer afternoonChildren's hospital San Francisco Dr James MuldoonThe caul was on my brow There was no sugar on my spoonI heard the Crossroads Blues as my nursery tune
I was a contrary baby Contrary to nature's planAnd now this contrary baby has grown into a contrary man
My momma tried to tell me life don't last too long She said it's the only pleasure that you just cannot prrooollloooonnnggShe said walk lightly through this world Don't stomp like old King Kong But something somehow somewhere went HORRIBLY WRONG
Now I'm a contrary man This is my contrary pomeI never knew nobody's house I did not call my home
I go out to the circus every time it is in townPull the beard off the bearded lady Beat the shit out of every clownI only chew my food eight times and then I gulp it downAnd if you ask my favorite color I will tell you "Doo Doo Brown"
I'm a contrary man I sing a contrary rhymeYou know I pull my pants on two legs at a time
I'll pick your daughter up at seven Have her home by eightLeave my leafy vegetables untouched upon my plateI never clipped no coupons My library books are lateI fold and then I spindle And then I mutilate
Cause I'm a contrary man I spin a contrary yarnAnd now I'm gonna hit you with the broad side of a barn
I brush my teeth with Borax / Gargle with a cakeNever liked the Lorax / That environment shit's a fake I'll wrap around your thorax / Like a boa constrictor snakeI'm the milk I'm the sugar I'm a frosted fuckin flake
And I'm a contrary man Just ringin those bellsGot more evil in my little finger Than anywhere elzzzz
― @GracieLoPan #fyi (Display Name (this cannot be changed):), Friday, 17 May 2013 00:25 (ten years ago) link
The Pissing, Beware
If one must thieve, do it elsewhere- The plain-clothes common-coursers could be close And should your bladder shake and heaveThe implication is – you too bewareCaught bestride a holly sapling, full gushOr down, doggish by a hollow logDiscreetly risen, only seen byMother crisp frowning afternoon waistline jogBetter this than a breach of the peace in somebody’s homeBetter this than a spoilt child’s coy spray reportBest to piss where it can be controlledIn fading rivulets of what could be the clouds’ work, or a dog’s,Offending only those yet worse aggrieved by fatOr those who make sport of that fatal compact – Drake-gang shun runt flyaway pylon-fizz flat – “Our floury trash to victors’ gizzards!”Algae spreads and uric acid Spills remorselessly through soil sewersBrown water turns yellow,Fish strangle each other, Old Man Heron ruptures,Park-keeper – O undone park-keeper!Forty years you’d bathe in your bathing-hat – Kids’d fling chips, or quoits – Like a dolphin – Now he weeps in the control-centreHammers the panic button dyspepticallyAs in the jogger-mother’s earpieceBeep after beep after beep – Here he isUnambitiously behind a plane treeGuilty cock in handThief
― once a week is ample, Thursday, 10 November 2011 23:12 (1 year ago)
― have a nice Blog (imago), Friday, 17 May 2013 00:35 (ten years ago) link
Before creating Family Guy and American Dad, Wm S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin did punch-up work for the Simpsons:
'we steal the car, right?''Somebody up there likes me.''Is your wife up here?'
'My friends, do not eat.''A candy corn volcano!''Fire it up, boys.'
'Fresh out of ice cream!'"But I'm not coming back yet."'In your face, Belgium!'
'A chocolate husband!''You mean like', 'Child Labor Day?''Oh, it shines so bright.'
'Congratulations.''"Can I Borrow a Feeling?"''Not me. I got this.'
― Philip Nunez, Friday, 17 May 2013 05:27 (ten years ago) link
A Haiku
She said it's really happening and I said what and she said my life.
― Treeship, Sunday, 26 May 2013 04:35 (ten years ago) link
the contest closes in a week, so hurry up!
(that includes me)
― welke cd's als test cd voor nieuwe speakers?? (unregistered), Tuesday, 25 June 2013 00:30 (ten years ago) link
Pink Slime
We saw you at the meeting,We saw you in the back,Slipping out, discretely,With pink slime. We were all disturbed by the pink slime.
Don't deny it.There is nowhere. It's not okay.It simply is.
― Treeship, Tuesday, 25 June 2013 01:24 (ten years ago) link
Untitled
i.
hold me in terroranticipate ruptures that don't dare to speakcapitalize on the tragedy of legs blown off at the kneesmonetize poetry to make status shifting moveslay me down on the grasstouch my legafter boston it's barbarickissing is barbaric lips peeledhelp me oh godfuck fuck mei feel like we've been on our second date foreverwhen does history end already?
ii.
footage ofa snow wheelbarrowglazed with red
― Mordy , Tuesday, 25 June 2013 02:34 (ten years ago) link
STUCK
Precipitously We fell into aSilence of eyes: ourFirst communion.
― Beatrix Kiddo (Raymond Cummings), Tuesday, 25 June 2013 03:06 (ten years ago) link
i like those two poems. i like mordy's allusion to william carlos williams.
― Treeship, Tuesday, 25 June 2013 05:29 (ten years ago) link
Alchemy Lost
I had alchemy skills, onceA neccesary gift to lift the lead from my heartAnd even if the gold weighed just as muchIt was at least of some value
Seems this skill has left me nowThe lead levels are at critical massI have heavy limbsThey are breaking everything they touch
― It is like ganging up on Enya (Trayce), Tuesday, 25 June 2013 07:12 (ten years ago) link
(I cheated, I actually wrote that some time ago but I like it).
― It is like ganging up on Enya (Trayce), Tuesday, 25 June 2013 07:14 (ten years ago) link
Cheating is when you didn't write it.
― Aimless, Wednesday, 26 June 2013 04:56 (ten years ago) link
:)
― It is like ganging up on Enya (Trayce), Thursday, 27 June 2013 02:10 (ten years ago) link
time's a wastin' y'all ilxors
― Aimless, Friday, 28 June 2013 03:07 (ten years ago) link
deadline tomorrow
― Aimless, Sunday, 30 June 2013 17:31 (ten years ago) link
i arrived independently at the love song of j. alfred prufrock but decided not to post it in case i would be suspected of cheating. i'm leaving it to the judges if they want to credit me with that or not.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:10 (ten years ago) link
we're supposed to post the poem and then what happens?
― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:20 (ten years ago) link
The entrants are then corralled into an arena, where they fight to the death, bidding for the approval of fickle ilxors.
― Aimless, Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:22 (ten years ago) link
like the vikings did.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skald
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:24 (ten years ago) link
I'm not even close to being ready to die. This is clearly not the contest for me.
― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:24 (ten years ago) link
i wouldn't worry about it. aimless is generally merciful. he usually pardons the losers unless they have done something to offend him. the key thing is to write panegyrics to aimless.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:26 (ten years ago) link
xxxp seriously what? we're doing what now?that's what I get for being first to post I suppose...
― Wide Area Network King (snoball), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:27 (ten years ago) link
Against those who offend me I deploy the sharp edge of killing satire, which bites deep and leaves wounds that never heal.
― Aimless, Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:42 (ten years ago) link
That sounds worse than death. So Aimless decides who the winner is? Is that what happens?
― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:59 (ten years ago) link
i think the youngest entrant decides. and the prize is $50 from all the other entrants.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Sunday, 30 June 2013 19:00 (ten years ago) link
Yeah you all come here and fight me, I got an OCEAN in the way.
― It is like ganging up on Enya (Trayce), Monday, 1 July 2013 01:42 (ten years ago) link
― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Sunday, 30 June 2013 18:20 (Yesterday)
then I'll make a poll of all the entries, probably on July 2.
― Remember! The cormorant is a big brrd. It has got a long neck. (unregistered), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:08 (ten years ago) link
Ok thx. So the poll will be first line or title? Title is necessary?
― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:43 (ten years ago) link
can i withdraw my first entry, "a haiku"? i don't like that one.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:49 (ten years ago) link
xpost - titles are optional. I'll list titled poems by title and untitled poems by first line.
(but please don't be an asshole and title your poem "http://i.imgur.com/MhchgAH.png" or something)
― Remember! The cormorant is a big brrd. It has got a long neck. (unregistered), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:53 (ten years ago) link
c'est nes pas une bike
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:54 (ten years ago) link
or rather, ceci n'est pas une http://i.imgur.com/MhchgAH.png
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:56 (ten years ago) link
ok, I'll leave it out of the poll (and you can enter another one if you'd like).
I liked your haiku, mainly because it reminded me of a line from Cristina's "Things Fall Apart" (which happens to be haiku-able, in an awkward way)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Xgktqp-Zw
"I can't stand in your way, it's wrong.""Way of what?" I asked, but he was gone.
― Remember! The cormorant is a big brrd. It has got a long neck. (unregistered), Monday, 1 July 2013 02:59 (ten years ago) link
or rather...
"I can't stand in yourway, it's wrong." "Way of what?" Iasked, but he was gone.
24.
At 15 I had faith in the internal consistency of my opinions. Or I remember having had this. Or I remember remembering this.
Full disclosure:I remember that I remembered remembering this,Very recently.
Faith remembered is different but the same asFaith lost,A leap of faith into a canyon, An A+ paper,A wasted moment,The moon.
I don't know now if I ever was in love,Or if love is real, Or if it is social construct, Or if social constructs are real, Or why wouldn't they be?
I have an opinion on why this matters, On why I matter, And you: I have an opinion about you too.
And here's the part where I tell you why it matters.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Monday, 1 July 2013 03:11 (ten years ago) link
a very old one (all my poems are now v. old)
City Crows
Crows will separate to nestAnd raise woodstraw strewnLeftover sucklers of pupsWho scream when lonelyLike broken glass.
They will chitter to attract matesAnd offer tasty meals of rot.Crows kiss with clackingAnd though feathers are well spit-slicked sleekTheir stubby little wings can't hug.
From those high up separate carrion nestsThey perch and observe this Saturday night.Monocled heads cocked and sporting suede vestsOn the watch for spoiled food,They'll ignore the bewildering plumaged sightsAs people, idiot creatures, flock.
― stefon taylor swiftboat (s.clover), Monday, 1 July 2013 16:29 (ten years ago) link
And another v. old one (even by the standards of my old poems)
How past
How past the past may potentially recede!A bastard string of new beginnings, boastfully begunand by that token truncated, just half therein a wasteland with definite widthinscribed across flesh to fantasy, wounds inspiring flightas would a trail of imagined slights, silent stigmaof being for others, bending, so as not to breakHow distant old heartache, homes, even dreamsin Manhattan's midday crowds and heat I marvelat the subtlety of auspicious beginnings, so secretas though unnoticed, until all is underway.The ground that shifts is a vessel, that rumbling the rail.Some take, some give or stand their ground, some simply do.New digs, new take. New town, God I love you!
― stefon taylor swiftboat (s.clover), Monday, 1 July 2013 16:36 (ten years ago) link
Regarding Time
What exists existsfor the benefit of a lit torch,young lives hungeringthrough all of that spacebetween us
I made a list of all the thingsin the world I missedand it was a perfect whitepage, or rather the page wasyellow- and I am only off-white,on my better days-but the days would continue mysteriouslyto get better, or at least lighter, until finallythey would cease to exist.
Then we'd release the eveninglike a band of mistall around us
― Gatemouth, Monday, 1 July 2013 17:57 (ten years ago) link
Liking this year
― dj hollingsworth vs dj perry (darraghmac), Monday, 1 July 2013 18:06 (ten years ago) link
The MacGuire Building, to Be Demolished
Here, at the entrance, we will place a small silver cameoskin shitting bricks into the immediate atmospherewrapped in Tyvek and tiers of scaffoldingsheet rounded hospital blue
Then a room, an unknown man's recorded voicedark walls haze like curtain smokesoft walls flex to silent rhythmthoughts half traced, the unframed sky
The angle of the camera (imaginary) is lowplaced to suggest the looming divinewoven into his speech, a constant sigh of aspiration"Now," he says, "the great wheel of heaven."
Wood blinds crack to falling light, reclined across the couchbut take note of the carpet a blue so rich it seems blackin this light anyway, at the end of the day
As a brick flies, the sidewalk surface, membrane streetsthe television is ancient, monstrous, looming like a shitty condominium, a gathering of debilitated objects in a semicircleflies above the sink
― Me and my pool noodle (contenderizer), Monday, 1 July 2013 18:49 (ten years ago) link
i like all of these a great deal, but i would like to note that Gatemouth's poem, particularly, is very moving/haunting.
― Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the (Treeship), Monday, 1 July 2013 19:35 (ten years ago) link
As a counterpoint to my entered poem above, this is an example of what I was writing in 1978:
For Sally
Knock me on the head, you’re pretty!Call me Joe or Pete or Dan,and I’ll nod and not stirfrom fiddling with your hand,preparatory to kissing the same.
Behold! I am sane – just a dash –and bashful, too. Test me.Close your eyes, unguard your lips,and you’ll see just how shy I ambeyond the far edge of a doubt.
My chick! My chin-mate! Pretty one!Knock me on the noggin with a brick,I’m numb at the sight of you.Delighted, too, if ever a man was.Strong tonic for healthy,that’s you, Sally, poured into a right fine bottle.
― Aimless, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:15 (ten years ago) link
nb: I don't intend that to be a second entry or a substitute for my earlier poem. I just thought reading them side by side was an interesting exercise.
― Aimless, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:27 (ten years ago) link
these are/were good poems BTW I come back to read em
― duff paddy (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 August 2014 00:20 (nine years ago) link
like it might be time again I'm sayin
― duff paddy (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 August 2014 00:24 (nine years ago) link
IT HAS BEGUN
2014 ILX Poetry Contest: The Captain Lorax Prize (Submissions Thread)
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 3 September 2014 02:16 (nine years ago) link