from Imagining Invisible Later
A Novel on Robinson Crusoe in 13 Poems
Chapter 2
A small windy hill
boasted a small windy
minister his
congregation at least three
sugared plums–
nothing
was calling
on fire.
He cast his
bowed, grubbygaze
into the pews
beneath him
bright as a
wayward
answer back.
A gutter was
giggling,
wind over a field of
prayer books
in his lap
dared to
widen and
shrug.
He was over
the following
indecent conduct. But
he had gone down
the coast road
on a fine Thursday morning,
a horn spoon
two blood puddings
eight stitches
in a storm’s teeth.
Ever since he could
say
flotsam
the sea was a cruel mistress–
He was a tired and bedraggled
port
loaded up
ghostly white
heaving
gingerly.
The swaying motions of the boat
grew stronger
bellowed out like
the spine bending
straining against
a blackberry
in his breath
the platform
aching
but he didn’t care
looked out over
tiny, pin-size figures
pulling him away
aloft
on the windward side.
Chapter 7
Pounding into the hot morning mist
the ladies
took an invisible and deadly extra gift.
A cannon ball
a sail
they always passed the
last stitch through
the body’s board.
At the great black rock islands
of the Galapagos
the shore collected turtles
and huge fish
went missing.
Dispirited,
the rain drenched islands
restocked
with water then
returned once more to islands.
The Pacific
glumly resolved to
simply refit their heads
for the men had
broken open
their disappointment.
A little wind
still a tiny
silhouette on the horizon
had still not caught up
but they could see the
surprise
expecting a great tower
but this one was just a sturdy
night
and every hour inched a little
closer to the noise
smash
clear
creak
heave
bark
curse
in every direction.
The morning,
a barely perceptible
roar
a
minute striking at the
wet sand,
truer this time
making great
breath.
Cracking of
confusion, things were becoming clearer
like peashot.
For every three
cracks the
water
tried to speak a
horrible gurgle,
a liberty.
They would be men,
they must
collect their prisoners, they must
rummage, and they must refit.
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