Two Poems

Melanie Neilson

PLAYTIME

Well, I may meet you over in

Whipperwill

time, time so long

A midnight trailer if you will

time, my time so long

Skirt the wish you

tore the mooring

fold a promise

tree bit night

whipperwill a long time

Well, I may meet you over in

Whipperville

time, time so long

A midnight thrall if you will

time, my time so long

Skirt the wish you

nix the mooring

tell a promise

whipperclatter

note socks a long time

Whisk a glint of provincial

with pentecostal grit

the noon in moon comes unfairly soon

zap plow id hollow yellow

Where I do and don’t live

a-walking in your sleep

where we meet and substitute

the time, time so long

Skirt the wish-you

nix the mooring

tell a promise

whipper jubilee

latter for two a long time

PRETEND

1.

Ol’ Sleeping Bag’s got me

I carry in my unaugust bird

blanco y negro peeping together

under the sunny marzipan sky

I dig homemade television music

and maximum security

the handy toothache past

easy trout for head found

in upper left hand street

beyond listen recognition

when sand was a man

sheets came down

chance people commence

cement with strings

underfoot wingy shadow paste

anchor by kiss and newsprint

never see the Mayor here

2.

I carry in my tambourine bird

Chance the pubescent overboard sky

I like floors I like gulls

    the foggy obscenity arrival

take a number fog everywhere

h  e  a  r  d

precious  big    s  p  o  k  e  s  f  o  g

not simply sex loneliness and the beach

  finespray night or day but blank

when fog was a boy cloud

in the old mist tradition

oh what run to run for nothing

  pier ass l o n e l y  s e a

who’s turn to run the  c   u   t

beach run with rain

   once upon a time when there was no watcher

 fog eating rock

       soft as this way

    and that  w a y

3.

The money isn’t flowing yet

 of three I see at Seaview restaurant

   caution, caution, caution

“Your number is 11 A”

  thee could ask for anything more

    life, as a bit

      life, as a toll

you my spoon

with acid free rain dumb

focus on Western Venus

harnessed professional pretend

the active art of Venus

      whirl into the lonely world

oh smile for nothing

  buff hell no one to talk to

thereby self-operating idea napkin

glue cards with rain

once upon unbroadcast time three houses three

poem the bit rift and bond

language impossible swing

walking baseline of Venus the model city

   the train at the end

beginning a world

    never the same

mingle unanimous playground

wordbone throw

yes difference where spoon of soup you are

being nothing or

a flower outside limits

penny rocket shapely mind

will come true