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2 poems by Matthew Johnstone

1/27/2016

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Alligators



    Our place 
orbits 
itself / it
packs the
continent / & we
feral in
our own / repeating
out / to
kept
glare.
    Citizens of 
that 
rust / deaf
is it
loose / suns
tilt
buildings
to caves / or
widen / 
throats
watch
maul.

/

    Our place
curves 
to
gnarl / us
under 
the crane.
    Night &
the
black
locks /
piling 
golden 
blades.

/

    Shaped
to 
gone / so
groped 
out / &
went flare
at
anything.
    We  
were 
in
barrage / season 
tore
your
intuitions / toward
reproducing
the
knife / mute
of
the hollowing / to
not.

/

    And to
clot low
riot shine /
we 
carry
our
own 
hands / pouring
in flu 
color.
    To mapping / 
the arcs 
of 
tusks / or 
a 
mouth /
excites up
the swamp.






​
Town, of year



Both. Even 
my late intimacy
             with hooks  
has been 
         no separation.
If you
repeat out by
             tiers
         of
minor,
         there 
remain 
         vicious some 
things I 
         continue to know.
        
An exact thing 
             replicas away.
         The 
serious gardens 
         lower their 
plants,
         then I do not 
             recall 
before we 
         had our things
             imitate
         figment,
barely 
         alter.

         Killer of veins,
even the 
         fevers 
continue.
         Environments 
tearing in,
         the only exact 
thing.



​

Picture
Matthew Johnstone is the author of Let's be close  Rope to mast  you, Old light (Blue & Yellow Dog, 2010), o n e (Inpatient Press, 2015), and Note on Tundra (DoubleCross Press, forthcoming 2016). He co-edits 'Pider and hosts the E t A l. poetry readings, both of Nashville, Tennessee.

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