American Poetry Now: Pitt Poetry Series Anthology

David Wojahn

DavidWojahnisprofessorof Englishanddirectorof creativewritingat VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity.Heistheauthorof InterrogationPalace: NewandSelectedPoems1982–2004,SpiritCabinet,TheFallingHour,LateEmpire, MysteryTrain,Glassworks,andIcehouseLights.Wojahnistherecipientof three PushcartPrizesandtheWilliamCarlosWilliamsBookAward,among others.HehasreceivedfellowshipsfromtheGuggenheimFoundationand theNationalEndowmentfortheArts.  4 david WoJahn Photo by Noelle Watson  4 david WoJahn E-mail (from “Dithyramb and Lamentation”) Loosenthisguyup.Makesurehehasabadnight. Takeawaythemattress,clothes&sheets. He’llbreakdownrealfast. Makesurehegetsthespecialtreatment. Takeafewsnapsof himif youwant. Butloosenhimup.Makesurehehasabadnight. Thenhe’llgiveoutsomerealintelligence. Lethimliethereinhisownsorryshit— He’llbreakdownrealfast. Wraphiminthehood&wrapittight. Hewon’tknowwherethenexthit’s comingfrom.Makesurehehasabadnight. ThebrassfromLangleyarecomingtonight &soldier,theseguysneedresults. He’llbreakdownrealfast whenyoutapeelectrodestohisdick— Sending an e-mail iswhatwe’recallingit— he’llloosenup.Makesurehehasanotherbadnight. He’llbreakdownrealfast. “Mystery Train”: Janis Joplin Leaves Port Arthur for Points West, 1964 (from “Mystery Train: A Sequence”) Trainsheridesissixteencoacheslong, Thelongdarktrainthattakesthegirlaway. Thesilverwheels clickandsingalong  4 david WoJahn Thepanhandle,thehalf-assedcattletowns Allnightuntilthemistybreakof day. Darktrain, darktrain,sixteencoacheslong. Girl’slookedoutherwindowallnightlong, Baddreams: couldn’tsleepherthoughtsaway. Thewheelsclick,mournful,dreamalong. Amarillo,Paradise, Albuquerquestillalong Night’sride.Scrubpine,cactus,fogallgray Aroundthedarktrain sixteencoacheslong. Acardboardsuitcaseandshe’sdressedallwrong. Gotsomecousin’saddress, noskills,nosmarts,nomoney. Thewheelsmockherastheyclickalong. Ahalf-pintof FourRoses, thenshehumsaWoodysong, “IAin’tGotNoHome.” Thewhistlebrays. TheMysteryTrainissixteencoacheslong. Thewhistlehowls,thewheelsclickalong. “It’s Only Rock and Roll but I Like It”: The Fall of Saigon, 1975 (from “Mystery Train: A Sequence”) Thegutturalstammerof thechopperblades Raisingarabesquesof dust,tearingleaves Fromtheorangetreesliningtheembassycompound: Onechopperleft,andaCBScameramanleans Frominsideitsdoor,exploitingtheartful  4 david WoJahn Thepanhandle,thehalf-assedcattletowns Allnightuntilthemistybreakof day. Darktrain, darktrain,sixteencoacheslong. Girl’slookedoutherwindowallnightlong, Baddreams: couldn’tsleepherthoughtsaway. Thewheelsclick,mournful,dreamalong. Amarillo,Paradise, Albuquerquestillalong Night’sride.Scrubpine,cactus,fogallgray Aroundthedarktrain sixteencoacheslong. Acardboardsuitcaseandshe’sdressedallwrong. Gotsomecousin’saddress, noskills,nosmarts,nomoney. Thewheelsmockherastheyclickalong. Ahalf-pintof FourRoses, thenshehumsaWoodysong, “IAin’tGotNoHome.” Thewhistlebrays. TheMysteryTrainissixteencoacheslong. Thewhistlehowls,thewheelsclickalong. “It’s Only Rock and Roll but I Like It”: The Fall of Saigon, 1975 (from “Mystery Train: A Sequence”) Thegutturalstammerof thechopperblades Raisingarabesquesof dust,tearingleaves Fromtheorangetreesliningtheembassycompound: Onechopperleft,andaCBScameramanleans Frominsideitsdoor,exploitingtheartful  4 david WoJahn Mayhem.SomewherearadioblarestheStones, “Ilikeit,likeit,yesindeed...”Cartsfull Of filesblazeintheyard.Flak-jacketedmarines Gunpointthecrowdaway.Theoverloadedchopperstrains Andblundersfromtheroof.Anice-creamsuited Saigonesedropshisbriefcase;bothhands Nowclingtotheairborneskis.Thecameragets Itall:themarineleaningoutthecopterbay, Hisfistsbeatingtime.Thenthehandsgivingway. The Assassination of John Lennon as Depicted by the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum, Niagara Falls, Ontario, 1987 (from “Mystery Train: A Sequence”) SmuggledhumanhairfromMexico FallsradiantuponthewaxyO Of herscream.Shadeson,leathercoatandpants,Yoko Onherknees—likethefamousKentStatephoto Wherethegirlcan’tshriekherboyfriendalive,herarms Wind-millingOhiosky. ApumpinJohn’schestheaves Tomimicdeath-throes.Thebloodismadeof latex. Hisglasses:brokenontheplasticsidewalk. AscowlingDavidChapman,hisarmsoutstretched, Hispistolbarrelspiralingfakesmoke Inasiren’sredwash,completesthecomposition, Andsomewherebackgroundmusicplays“Imagine” Beforethetableaudarkens.Wepushabutton Torenewthescream. Thecheststartsupagain.  4 david WoJahn Mayhem.SomewherearadioblarestheStones, “Ilikeit,likeit,yesindeed...”Cartsfull Of filesblazeintheyard.Flak-jacketedmarines Gunpointthecrowdaway.Theoverloadedchopperstrains Andblundersfromtheroof.Anice-creamsuited Saigonesedropshisbriefcase;bothhands Nowclingtotheairborneskis.Thecameragets Itall:themarineleaningoutthecopterbay, Hisfistsbeatingtime.Thenthehandsgivingway. The Assassination of John Lennon as Depicted by the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum, Niagara Falls, Ontario, 1987 (from “Mystery Train: A Sequence”) SmuggledhumanhairfromMexico FallsradiantuponthewaxyO Of herscream.Shadeson,leathercoatandpants,Yoko Onherknees—likethefamousKentStatephoto Wherethegirlcan’tshriekherboyfriendalive,herarms Wind-millingOhiosky. ApumpinJohn’schestheaves Tomimicdeath-throes.Thebloodismadeof latex. Hisglasses:brokenontheplasticsidewalk. AscowlingDavidChapman,hisarmsoutstretched, Hispistolbarrelspiralingfakesmoke Inasiren’sredwash,completesthecomposition, Andsomewherebackgroundmusicplays“Imagine” Beforethetableaudarkens.Wepushabutton Torenewthescream. Thecheststartsupagain.  4 david WoJahn Excavation Photo Aftermakingloveshe’dfoundit,askingmetotouchtheplace aswell: herleftbreast,Irememberthatprecisely,&justbelowthenipple Icanalsostillrecall, half-dollarsized,aduskypinkthatgrewerectsooftenin mymouthandhands. Buttheyear,thedetailsof theroom,allblownapartinmemory, brokenvessels,potsherds gleamingintheexcavationphoto’ssepia,sunlight&longshadows; &if onlymyhandremains, circling,pushing,probing,it’salumpI’msureof it &if Icouldtellyouwhatwouldhappen next,whichsoundfromherthroat,whichsoundfrommine,thedays &weekstofollow &thebittereschatologiesof touch,whatprofitwould suchknowledgegiveyou? Wouldyouhearourbedsideclock?Carsoutsideintherain?— &whereisshenow?Couldyoutellme thatmuch?Sand&gravelsifted&thesoughtthingrises, stroked&circledwithatiny horsehairbrush.Bead,shard,incisedbone,itdoesnotflare inthetoothlessworker’s whorledpalm;&myhandkeepsmovingevennow,thefine transparenthairs erectastheywakenfromgooseflesh-speckledaureole,mycircles tight,concentric. Doyou feelitnow?Thepush&probe&spiral&thesudden yesIcanfeelittoo.  4 david WoJahn Stammer OnebyoneIliftthemtothemouth,thetongue entwiningthem, thefivesmoothpebbles. Speaknow,speaknow,sayagain. Letthetongueknowitsplace.Thiswill, accordingtoHerodotus, effectthecureforstammer. Tonguecontraworld.Argotandglottal. Andmemory,embabeledmemory,ishere aswell. ThespeechcorrectionteacherMrs.N. loomingbacktomethismorningasmyneighbor inblackspandexcranksherMotown uptoten,sunshineonacloudy day,inheryardassheliftsherhi-techbow,andthen thetarget bristlingarrows.Memory of thetonguedepressor,thenitsburrow towardthetonsils.AHAHAHEEE, goodDavidgoodDavidgood.Stereo evenloudernow, Tempts,FourTops andMiracles,CloudNineStandingintheShadows of Love.TalkwhenIsayyoucantalk. BarnyardDavidbarnyard. Brightgrail of R.RuthrangRandyrarely. Stop.  4 david WoJahn RarelyRandyrang.Rarely.Rarely.Thestalled trainof thetongue,steaming engine.Engineontherailroadonthewintertrestle Stalled.Butthenthegrindandhissandwhistling. IamspeakingnowIhavepermission. HeatWave,bull’s-eyeallthearrowsbristle, andshenodstoherself.Thetongue setfree,thepebblesspitdown. Speaknowspeaknowagainagain. And the Unclean Spirits Went Out of the Man, and Entered into Swine —Mark: Terribletodwellwithinthebodyof aman whosquatsinhisownshitamongthetombs. Terriblehisraiment,hairmattedwild.Terribletheman whowailshissorrow,scuttlinginthegrime &litterof necropolisbone.Obetterinsteadtoscurry ontheseclovenfeet,ourtusksashimmer, bettereventhistrance,thisslithertowardthesea, thecliff wherewehurlourselvesuponthebreakers, Forwehadtiredof thewaysof men&soughtagain theTempleof theFour-LeggedThing,naveof sow-teat, altarof snout&tusk,sacramentof bristle-hair,of penisbone &muskgland.Herewasourrepose.ButthisGodwebargainedwith, asgodswilldo,hadtrickedusall.&totheprecipicewecame. Wetheexiled,Wethebetrayed.WewhosenameisLegion.  4 david WoJahn RarelyRandyrang.Rarely.Rarely.Thestalled trainof thetongue,steaming engine.Engineontherailroadonthewintertrestle Stalled.Butthenthegrindandhissandwhistling. IamspeakingnowIhavepermission. HeatWave,bull’s-eyeallthearrowsbristle, andshenodstoherself.Thetongue setfree,thepebblesspitdown. Speaknowspeaknowagainagain. And the Unclean Spirits Went Out of the Man, and Entered into Swine —Mark: Terribletodwellwithinthebodyof aman whosquatsinhisownshitamongthetombs. Terriblehisraiment,hairmattedwild.Terribletheman whowailshissorrow,scuttlinginthegrime &litterof necropolisbone.Obetterinsteadtoscurry ontheseclovenfeet,ourtusksashimmer, bettereventhistrance,thisslithertowardthesea, thecliff wherewehurlourselvesuponthebreakers, Forwehadtiredof thewaysof men&soughtagain theTempleof theFour-LeggedThing,naveof sow-teat, altarof snout&tusk,sacramentof bristle-hair,of penisbone &muskgland.Herewasourrepose.ButthisGodwebargainedwith, asgodswilldo,hadtrickedusall.&totheprecipicewecame. Wetheexiled,Wethebetrayed.WewhosenameisLegion. [3.16.51...