CLUSTER FLINCHING

This face that face without a licking of the floor the tongue sticking in the wrong side of my thoughts over that way pointing with that finger attached to a gnat narrowed down to one of those waited for it all this time choking coughing on the idea of having chips a bag empty blown away where did it go? the one who knew is no longer here or haven't seen them in a while maybe they got promoted to a position they were not suited for they never got the promotion no one interviewed they did it all internally and that might explain why the rooms in the back the back rooms smell the way they do and they played on while whatever fell out of this head or the one across from it discolored the carpeting or was spread all over the desk between them until it was removed moved out of the way and she wouldn't ask for the tissues just whether it was time to leave should tell from the clock she just asked for permission and that's when the rooms in the back the back rooms and the smell and the playing on they played on while whatever fell out of this head or the one across from it this face that face without a licking of the floor the tongue sticking in the wrong side of my thoughts over that way pointing with that finger attached to a gnat narrowed down to one of those waited for it all this time choking coughing on the idea of having chips a bag empty blown away where did it go? the one who knew is no longer here or haven't seen them in a while.

Then she walked back into the kitchen rubbing her hands and noticing she still held the cigarette she hadn't lit didn't want the rent to go up or how long could she smoke until they found out probably not until after they left and took it out of the deposit they were not going to refund that was when she walked back to the curb that was never finished along the broken collar of the road that sank into the planet the point of entry that reminded one of where you could never quite catch on just a hunch regarding this life thing taking all that that out on bugs the side of the house when we lived there was the wrong house very embarrassing when they asked what I was marking under their window with didn't ask to put it back in or zip up just walked away and chose not to engage just kept walking until the cigarettes ran out still have the lighter hold it with my hands even when tying my shoes always hated laces holes in every pocket and mocking laughter in every corner every pleat of this mind no wonder not much of that not after the man who when he spoke with his eyes the questions stopped and there was no wonder as you walked it was then that the walking started and the wonder stopped and the curb that was never finished along the broken collar of the road that sank into the planet the point of entry that reminded one of where you could never quite catch on always moving trying to move stuck the packing tape any tape roll of tape couldn't find where the tape stuck to itself couldn't quite find where it stuck just turning the roll and turning the roll.


- Max Stoltenberg