D e a d P a p e r

Poems

MICHAEL THEEKE

Waiting for Gravity

I remain skeptical of these responsibilities that do not require standing up or laying down
if it's tv night let's do it together
unfortunate this situation does not correspond to my mood
preparation for something more or less the same
delicate sense of time I mean timing right moment throw history away play memoirs for atonement
but at least I soon fulfilled my second greatest dream while masturbating on the moon.
Yes, I know, you are one uniquely tortured soul
inefficient use of emotion
on the download yeah it's just as well
everything turned digital & video the only stars that fell were those that had to
gift to or from someone don't remember which
the nature of the controversy shape of things that came 32 feet per second per second but I'm tired & lonely & bored & 00000000constructing failed pairs to pass for sharing
interrogated passions and proved comparisons incapable
I found some truth, or maybe something better
we only needed to believe
we didn’t have to care.

I feel too tall for my soul could be worse could be weakness
dig holes in walls call them windows or doors
we must prepare
got ready for nervous we may be here for a while
and your prayer goes no higher than sound
your prayers will go no further than their sound
got kicked out of Heaven and baby, at 9.8 meters per second squared it's a long time to the ground
and all around us Spring is in the air
and all around us love is in the air
and warm is in the air
and myth is in the air
and pride is in the air
and love is in the air
and love is in the air
it's an industry, like everything else.
Buried close the center of the Earth made go faster heavy spiral out of control
became wide awake to legal possibility
sitting home watching game shows porn baseball on big screen tv sick from radiation
blush, pale exertion she said "I broke with sentimental the break must be complete" spoken like a dusty dead or dying 0000000 rustbelt factory town
we are not going anywhere I mean anymore
pulled down, like falling in love
chivalry implied
it was caution or distance or personal space
the distance between study and the practice
balance lost we are crumbling tumbling to pieces coming apart at the seams
stop action-remain-action stops
time to pack up to load up the plane
time to propagate
and thank God I don't subscribe to a cyclical model of history.
In the meantime I am higher than hell on laws of physics
made stars dissolve to light into power to units of measure as indication of self & forgot the past 'cause I needed to repeat it
most of the future's a long way off, anyway
and it really doesn't matter after they promised "Time travel is possible, even in this environment"
made a pass at getting by getting through
outrun light bent around corners block movement immoral passion plays short forced laughter desire puts in cameo & there's ooooooosomeone in the public restroom tying off a vein no time to fly for real
friction production heat
descend
descent
keep stopping keep stopping kept stopping keep stopping
and oh boy here's another fucking round of sleepless self-introspection
sure, I admit when anger gave way to indifference it was the happiest day of my life
and that growing old is the only quality we still share
apologies. I'm just tired&lonely&bored & I'm really not trying to care anymore opting instead for easy escape to other worlds and when I awoke the tv was already on

MICHAEL THEEKE

St. Christopher Speaks

Would I sing to you at the jubilee?
Could I run away while shimmering?
Should I play with fire,
play with your heart
would you run away like childhood?

This music keeps my wheels spinning.
I feel the same effect.

(On my right side, a few inches away)

So I built machines that run exclusively on dreams
in hope that some might come true

(On my right side a few inches away
you are sleeping
I)

Contrived like wildest rumor
my short-term memory fades
my need for speed increases
time trades as I lay with her
the road is catching up.

God smiled leaded glass from his On-High.

Lick salt from arid lips.

In sleep you mutterred “I always cared at you.”

Obstacles ahead. All this may just be abrupt.

On my right side a few inches away
you are sleeping
I’m afraid to ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo reach overooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo and 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 wake you.

MICHAEL THEEKE

I had a dream of battlefields and I dreamed of you

I sense hidden distractions well I guess it worked let’s find out what’s missing. 0000000000000000000000000000000 Was it gentle was I alone?000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Subtle changes evolve oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo but something’s always getting lost in definitive translation 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 appalling words of wisdom line the streets where anyone can fall

I had a dream of battlefields and I dreamed of you

taken together & shaken to pieces 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 a cliff-hanging role to play for the song we sang 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000o shown on silver coins 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 somewhere here is a detail we’ve missed 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 in failed debt to lesser powers oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo like a secret destination 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 I had no answers, only confusion 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 and a dream of battlefields & a dream of you

I had a dream of battlefields and I dreamed of you

before I see your metal arm the arm that won The War 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 collect carnivorous pay 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 time comes creeping once again 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 but sleep easy—everything will work out in the end. Of course. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 It’s just a theory, one we hope to disprove (before too long) 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 but for now please treat it as gospel 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 and I watch those tortured words 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 they litter this air around me, tattered banners shading braided light bring color to weary cries 00000000000000000000000 they will sink we will sink, in uncertainty. 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 An interesting way to die— 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 held a gun to your head and nothing else?

I had a dream of battlefields and I dreamt of you

Now understanding, stretched before me like the skies, 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 no, too distant. But please continue trying 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 to discover something new & useful is always a sign of life. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Is it better? I can’t say 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 I realize so-called changes were expected 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 in older days we sometimes had something to lose on 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 action in a small plausibility 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 frozen in time frozen in spite 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 a bitter wind reminding me of bitter thoughts 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 the space between the thought and the foresight 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 obliterated, shattered but the spirit dies on 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 it’s up for sale. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 If they’re interested they should have let me know.

I had a dream of battlefields and I dreamed of you

Copyright 2008 deadpaper.org, Tim Gilmore

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