The letters horizontal
or vertical f l o a t
before
your eyes
a black line shapes
itself
spells out the first
noun in
an english dictionary
with a forefinger and
thumb
spells out A a r d v a r k
an animal from Africa
body of data data of body
rabbitlike ears a long cylindrical
tongue
the tail of a
kangaroo
nocturnal burrowing
a member
of the mammalian order
made of the parts
of different
animals lay your hand
feel the bones under
the skin
*
The universe contains
everything that
exists letters
that spell out
r u i n s c a p e
end to end long strings
of words blinking in
and out
as the universe
contracts
e x p a n d s
across the twenty-first
century
mounds of sand appear
disappear
always the Aardvark
moves
in circles moves in circles
in the here and
now
2
swaying side to
side
massive the claws
digging
searching
work is a binding
obligation
a jaw opens and closes
carnal/spiritual
*
On a computer screen
reflections of
water metal glass
bouncing radio waves
black lines form
letters
precise methodical
long strings
of words vertical/horizontal
words detached from
the course of
events planned
or spontaneous
patterns
spirals of wind and
fire
zigzags of black and
white lines
layers of brown dust
biomorphic geomorphic
polymorphic slashes
slashes
of solar light
earth air
fire water
motionless the Aardvark
stands listening
blood in
blood out
*
Press button to see
Science and Art of creating
archetypal scenes
come into being
long ago an hour ago
only a minute
3
known and unknown
shapes
the flesh of the
apple the dome
of a human skull
a mushroom cloud
each successive image
signs and wonders earth
air
fire water
motionless the Aardvark
stands listening blood in
blood out
*
Press button to see
a bucolic setting grape vines
olive groves
fields of
sunflowers
white the summer
blossoms
a wedding party
the bride and
groom pale
and red his lips her breast vein
as thick as a finger
out of his mouth
protrudes his
tongue cinnamon cumin
honey and salt
lines of insects
appear
disappear tendons and nerves
pulsate
a flow of hormonal
forces
blood in blood out
the universe
contracting
e x p a n d i n g
an outline shapes
itself
playful the unborn babe
in its
amniotic sac
4
*
Always the Aardvark
moves in circles moves in circles
in the here and now
earth air
fire water
moves in circles swaying
side to side rhythmic the blood
the months in a year
disease famine
torture war
mounds of sand
appear disappear
massive the claws
digging searching
long ago
an hour ago
only a minute
*
On a warm day in
spring
a woman plays a
harpsichord
the lid painted with
scenes
of mythological
animals
known and unknown
shapes
nocturnal solitary
black zigzags
appear disappear
motionless
the Aardvark stands
listening a jaw opens
and closes audible
inaudible
the sound of the
predator
lay your hand
feel the bones under
the skin
carnal/spiritual
author’s comment: “To look at the image of an Aardvark is to
take a cosmic Rorschach test, and like a cubist mural is both a microcosm and
macrocosm. You understand
Intuitively – a Cartesian resolution of body and spirit. The poem presented here is the first of a series of poems titled ‘Beloved the Aardvark,’ related I suppose to the poem ‘Devour Not the Elephant’ that appeared earlier in Poems and Poetics.” (Rochelle Owens)
Intuitively – a Cartesian resolution of body and spirit. The poem presented here is the first of a series of poems titled ‘Beloved the Aardvark,’ related I suppose to the poem ‘Devour Not the Elephant’ that appeared earlier in Poems and Poetics.” (Rochelle Owens)
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