On My Desk


Kate Greenstreet, *case sensitive*, ahsahta press, Boise State University

(from "[SALT]"
"8 [will become rock hard but never lose its taste]"

"A funeral. I had to speak. The words just came.
There were so many dead.
Even as we were burying them, no one was sure who was who.
Everyone was saying what they'd take, if they could only take one thing.
The men would be allowed two things, and nobody knew why."


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Gwyn McVay, *Ordinary Beans*, Pecan Grove Press

(from "Grief Psalm, For Large Ancient Rock Band")

"...there was a car crash here, say the flowers, and in that
crash someone died. I make my own flowers out of newspaper:
how my playmates have grown and gone on.

"I will apply the lipstick of greatness, the limestone mascara of
love. Need I say? There are few rubber dogs in the hills these days.
I mean steam that rises from a body.

"Don't think for a second you haven't become alien, part water,
part of the bathtub you scrub with Dr Bronner's Soap, All-
One. Some kind of rising creature.

"I will let my mascara to dry, then put on the dark glasses of a fool
and hum. Oh sisters, let's go down, down to the river, sisters, let's
go down. O sisters, let's go down, down to the river to pray."