By Word of Mouth: The Poetry of Dennis Cooley

"this on remembrance weekend”

36 / By Word of Mouth this on remembrance weekend: there is a blood clot in the tunnel it flutters hovers there /red scarf blood gusts & breezes they hope to melt with poison they now call perfume the red silk rustling inside you whispers of romance that would kill it could be a cloud on a fence it could be net stockings fear if it breaks it will go straight to your heart slip through silk stocking in wind innocent as a nightcap catching the direction stop all flight that it will blow up against the lung when it hits the way to breath will take your breath away only we know it doesn’t know the way to your heart has no way of knowing you are a woman of few vanities it has no way of reaching any corner of your longing never to wear the red silk where it flutters a dying bird just below your throat ...