e.t.a., and: Poem for Teacher

13 tye r farrell e.t.a. this road, this silver bus like a bullet 6:43 a.m. a woman with endless hair sits beside me our road races by. a distant farm stands still 6:43 a.m. blue clouds and mercury sky our road races by. a distant farm stands still but my chapped hands, my father's hands, smell like speed pulsing tires the driver's hands welded to the wheel we rocket past a factory pulsing tires mile markers we rocket past a factory litter and conversation mile markers sighs litter and conversation a woman with endless hair sits beside me sighs this road, this silver bus like a bullet Poem for Teacher ? you say you want to know who i am; what makes me unique, you say. what's under that hat. limestone and dragons and oranges popcorn and a videocamera, hands that smell like silver, a blackjack and weekly newspaper, blindfolds and gigabytes add two cracked eyes, then stir. i had a dream: fire on a stove in a kitchen 14 the minnesota review exploding fire fire fire everywhere shattered glass memories, pears rolled from my head, a ripened brain, an ugly dancing bear, a vine grew around my neck shooting tendrils up my nose, an exoskeleton of veins, my mouth coughed up viruses and canker sores chewed tobacco and an old map, i bled sulfur and licked books. curiosity killed the cat and i have lived through eighty-one lives, so far. 2 i could tell you something about me like something like the time i went and conquered the world and won a beauty contest, something like caviar on a big sinking boat, rescuing my something uncle, murdered my imaginary mother with a something else or this time back then with what's-his-face, the ivory-skinned boy who hammered out something of a planet for just me, put it into motion. but these somethings (chocolate pies and tombstones) they are too real to play catch with. you ask to know me as you show me how political illusionists hide the ace between their claws; i'll try to tell you. i am a starfish, a garbage bag full of marbles and picnics and keys and scars and trainsets and lungs. ...