Witness
1.
Religion happens after birds eat
berries and carry the seeds overseas
in their bellies, language gets
around on the condition that bees
drag it out of flowers. Punk and dub
had to travel in other vessels,
the latter made of space
and the former none or at least
too little. Songs are always built
and dismantled at the same time,
always demanding to see
pictures of themselves.
New York London Paris Munich
Munich Paris London New York
Paris Munich Paris Munich
London London New York New York
A few people are still alive, you’d
have heard them if they’d sung,
a few others too, if they’d
a sound among them to sing.
The eyes!
If history ever comes for them,
the eyes can hide in the mouth.
2.
abjectness abruptness absoluteness abstractness abstruseness accurateness acquisitiveness acuteness adroitness aggressiveness aimlessness airworthiness alertness allusiveness aloneness aloofness amateurishness animateness apprehensiveness appropriateness aptness arbitrariness archaicness arduousness artfulness articulateness artificialness assertiveness astuteness attentiveness attractiveness audaciousness augustness awareness awfulness awkwardness backwardness badness bagginess baldness balkiness bareness baroness baroqueness barrenness baseness bashfulness bitterness blackness blamelessness blandness blankness blasphemousness bleakness blessedness blindness bloatedness blueness bluntness boldness boorishness bounciness boundlessness boyishness brashness braveness brazenness briefness brightness briskness brittleness broadness brokenness brotherliness brownness bumptiousness burntness burstiness business callousness calmness candidness capaciousness capriciousness carefulness carelessness casualness cautiousness cavalierness ceaselessness ceremonialness charitableness chasteness cheapness cheerfulness cheeriness cheerlessness childishness chilliness chivalrousness chubbiness cleanliness cleanness clearness cleverness closeness cloudiness clumsiness coarseness cockiness cohesiveness coldness combativeness comeliness commercialness commonness compactness competitiveness completeness conciseness concreteness conduciveness connectedness consciousness contagiousness contemporariness contrariness coolness copiousness correctness covetousness coziness craftiness craziness creativeness credulousness creepiness crispness crudeness currentness curtness cuteness cutesiness daintiness dampness dangerousness darkness deaconess deadliness deadness deafness dearness deceitfulness decisiveness defensiveness definiteness deliberateness denseness destructiveness devoutness dimness dinginess directness dirtiness discreteness disingenuousness disinterestedness disjointness distinctiveness distinctness divisiveness dizziness doggedness drawnness dreariness drowsiness drunkenness dubiousness dullness dumbness duskiness dutifulness eagerness earliness earnestness earthliness easiness edginess effectiveness effortlessness elaborateness electricalness elusiveness emptiness endlessness enormousness enviousness erroneousness evenhandedness evenness exactness excessiveness excitedness exclusiveness expertness explicitness expressiveness exquisiteness extraneousness extraordinariness eye faintness fairness faithfulness faithlessness falseness familiarness fanciness fastness fatness fearlessness feebleness ferociousness fewness fickleness fierceness filthiness fineness finiteness firmness fitness fixedness flatness fleetness flimsiness floridness floweriness fondness foolishness forcefulness foreverness forgetfulness forgiveness forthrightness forwardness foulness frankness freeness freshness fretfulness friendliness frightfulness fruitfulness fullness funniness furtiveness fuzziness gameness gaudiness gauntness gayness generousness gentleness genuineness ghastliness giddiness gingerliness gladness glassiness goldenness goodness governess gracefulness graciousness grandness gratefulness gratuitousness graveness grayness greatness greediness greenness grimness grossness grubbiness guiltiness habitualness hairiness handedness handiness handsomeness haphazardness haplessness happiness hardheadedness hardheartedness hardiness hardness harebrainedness harmfulness harmlessness harmoniousness harness harshness hastiness hatefulness haughtiness haziness headstrongness healthfulness healthiness heartbrokenness heartiness heartsickness heaviness heedlessness helpfulness helplessness heterogeneousness hideousness highness hoariness hoarseness holiness hollowness homelessness homesickness homogeneousness honorableness hopefulness hopelessness horribleness hotheadedness hotness hugeness humaneness humanness humbleness humorousness huskiness iciness idleness illness illustriousness imperviousness implicitness impressiveness inadequateness inappropriateness inclusiveness incompleteness inconsiderateness incorrectness indebtedness indecisiveness indefiniteness indigenousness industriousness ineffectiveness inertness infiniteness ingeniousness innocuousness inquisitiveness insidiousness instantaneousness intentness intrusiveness inventiveness inwardness irateness jauntiness jealousness jerkiness joblessness joyousness justness keenness kindness lameness languidness largeness lateness lawlessness laziness leanness levelness lewdness lifelessness lightness likeliness likeness limpness lioness literalness littleness liveliness liveness Loch Ness loftiness loneliness looseness loudness lousiness loveliness lowness ludicrousness lusciousness lustiness madness maleness maliciousness manageableness marvelousness meagerness meaningfulness meaninglessness meanness meekness mellowness melodiousness memorableness mercenariness meritoriousness messiness methodicalness mightiness mildness milkiness mindfulness minuteness miscellaneousness mischievousness miserableness mistiness moderateness modernness moistness momentariness momentousness monotonousness moodiness morbidness motionlessness mournfulness muddiness mustiness mutableness muteness mysteriousness naiveness nakedness narrowness nastiness naturalness naughtiness nearness neatness needlessness nervousness newness niceness niggardliness nimbleness nobleness noisiness nonbusiness nosiness nothingness numbness obliqueness obliviousness obviousness oddness odiousness odorousness offensiveness officiousness oldness ominousness oneness opaqueness openness oppositeness orderliness ordinariness outspokenness paleness passiveness pastness patroness peacefulness perfectness permissiveness persuasiveness pervasiveness pettiness physicalness picturesqueness pinkness pithiness plainness plaintiveness playfulness pleasantness plumpness poisonousness politeness pompousness poorness populousness positiveness possessiveness powerfulness powerlessness precariousness preciousness precipitateness preciseness preparedness presentness presumptuousness pretentiousness prettiness primeness primitiveness promptness proneness properness protectiveness punctiliousness quaintness qualifiedness qualmishness quarrelsomeness queasiness queerness questionableness quickness quietness quirkiness raciness raggedness rancorousness randomness rankness rareness rashness rawness readiness realness reasonableness rebelliousness recentness receptiveness recklessness reddishness redness reflexiveness relativeness relentlessness reliableness religiousness remarkableness remoteness repetitiveness repleteness representativeness resistiveness resoluteness resourcefulness respectfulness responsibleness responsiveness restfulness restiveness restlessness restrictiveness retentiveness richness ridiculousness righteousness rightfulness rightness ripeness riskiness roadworthiness robustness roominess rosiness rottenness roughness roundedness roundness rowdiness ruddiness rudeness ruggedness ruthlessness sacredness sadness safeness saltiness sameness savageness scantiness scarceness secretiveness selfishness selflessness senselessness sensitiveness separateness seriousness sexiness shadiness shakiness shallowness shapelessness sharpness sheepishness shiftiness shininess shortness shortsightedness shrewdness shrillness shyness sickness silliness simpleness sinfulness singleness skillfulness slackness sleepiness sleeplessness slightness slipperiness sloppiness slovenliness slowness sluggishness slyness smallness smartness smoothness smugness sneakiness snugness soberness softness solemnness solidness solitariness sordidness soreness soundness sourness spareness sparseness speechlessness spiciness spiritedness spitefulness springiness squareness starkness statuesqueness statutoriness steadfastness steadiness steepness sternness stickiness stiffness stillness stinginess storminess stoutness straightforwardness straightness strangeness strictness stringiness stubbornness sturdiness stylishness subtleness succinctness suddenness suggestiveness suitableness sulkiness sullenness suppleness sureness surfaceness surliness sweetness swiftness talkativeness tallness tameness tardiness tartness tastefulness tastiness tautness tediousness temperateness tenderness tenseness thankfulness thanklessness thickness thoroughness thoughtfulness thoughtlessness tidiness tightness timelessness timeliness timidness tininess tinniness tiredness tirelessness tiresomeness togetherness touchiness toughness transitiveness treacherousness trickiness trimness trustfulness trustworthiness truthfulness typicalness ugliness unaccountableness unadaptableness unadaptedness unaffectedness unawareness uncleanness unconformableness unconsciousness uneasiness unevenness unfairness unfaithfulness unfitness unfriendliness ungratefulness unhappiness uniqueness unkindness unlikeness unnaturalness unpleasantness unreasonableness unselfishness unsteadiness untidiness untruthfulness unwieldiness unwillingness unworthiness uprightness usefulness uselessness vagueness validness variableness vastness verticalness viciousness vileness villainousness vindictiveness vividness wantonness wariness wastefulness watchfulness weakness weariness weatherproofness weightlessness weirdness wellness wetness whiteness wholeness wholesomeness wickedness wilderness wildness wiliness willingness wimpiness wiriness wistfulness witness wonderfulness woodenness wordiness worldliness worthiness worthlessness worthwhileness wretchedness wryness yellowness youthfulness zealousness