Epic of the Six Darknesses: IV

Epic of the Six Darknesses: IV


IV

Many years pass
before the third darkness emerges
seeking the (left) hand nipple
sinister sinister
the third darkness of verse
one of the darkest darknesses there are:

this darkness has five mouths
one for each finger
a ballpoint proboscis inserts
into the fingertip
then the darkness wraps around the hand
like a tight glove
sucks straight from the gut
thrives on gutjuices

I try to pull it off
yanking with my right hand
but you can’t see darknesses
they are disguised by normalcy

The ballpoints are sharp:
I write all over my right hand
words torn into skin
bloodmilk spilling on the snow
no sign of the pain

white milkblood spills
spelling doom for the future:

sexton berryman brautigan plath
all succumbed to the third darkness
they grabbed the pentips with their mouths
ripped one out and swallowed it whole
the pen tore through the body
the soul opened like a zipper
slipped out between the bones
and raced toward heaven like a fallen star
rushing home to its black hole
where gravity sucks from the universe
all the light it can find.

I know the answer I know the answer:
dissect the left hand nipple
spill the milk onto the snow
hurry now hurry while it’s winter
so nobody will know will see
all of it spilling out
leaving me empty
heart gaping like a fish

but

then there’d be no more poetry
so I will suffer


Richard Smyth

Posted over on Anabiosis Press