Improv - "27,000 Miles", Albert Goldbarth

he wrote disgruntled lectures on
“the anatomy of wings”
and forgot he still so loved
the idea of drawing up
maps of clouds.

but heaven-sky moves
and wings flap away
so he put women on pedestals
and studies bird architecture.

Improv - Allen Ginsberg, "America"

the american frontier manifested
destiny's immortal mission--
empty blue plastic toys
hastily forged in dim rooms
the spines of curved children
flogged down to the blood
in the land of red dragons;
our foreign modern vestiges
of the first world we call third.

Improv - B. H. Fairchild, "Madonna and Child, Perryton, Texas, 1967"

Vergil guides truckers up the shaggy spines
in hidden mountain roads strewn in willows,
up to the rest station where it hurts to eat
and burns to piss

there is disease waiting in toilet seats
beer-bloats packed in sardine can booths
peeling and stained by brown gravy beards
smelling of whore.

jesus is cheap here
white, too, somehow,
his cross is born on a wall above
a fattened calf of a child
ready to meat,
Jesus...

the cross creaks a belated response:
mala suerte, bestias.
mala suerte.

it is ignored.

Junkyard Quote II

"beware, gun cat is also on the loose."

Improv - James Tate, "Goodtime Jesus"

forgive me,
he called me moses
because of my hair
he always asked for a smoke
he still doesn't know my name.

Improv - Lynn Emanuel, "Frying Trout While Drunk"

when beer sours me i remember all
blackouts and empty spaces
i have never had one, if indeed
those who say them they have had
can say they have had them

i picked off bits sticking glass
to the platinum
to the premium bavaricum,
you have my giggles
goldschlager,
the "whole-hearted" one poured me
you have my throat to pay for
and ah... him...
the inverted wall watcher,
he screwdrove me too much.

Improv - Billy Collins, "Japan"

the student paints the light gate
the sea soaks into the red tower
the cherry blossoms scatter them
the evening prayer temple bell chimes
a reminder of Deeper Self

the bowl resounds:

koan-torii-shoshin

he arranged his blood a bouquet
of steel,
of sun,
of mask--

it'd all be nice
if men weren't dyin' like dogs.