Brooklyn Copeland (Carmel, Indiana, USA): Two fragments from Kerosene Series

Behind Washington the alley,
the rusted tracks.

Once, I disappeared for an afternoon.
I came back

with resin under my fingernails.

My Mother didn't know if she should be angry.

I could only tell her
that it'd been bleeding from a tree.

I didn't know the word resin.
Neither did she.

....................................................

Unblemished flesh wasted

on the modest

(parse, mince, parse, mince)

Molest: The way you sing
an alphabet

The page's sincerest commands
sound us out; don't be scared

en plein four
en plein air
(ended up

I married
a man
allergic to orchids)


c. Brooklyn Copeland 2009