New Poem by Michael S. Begnal

Eyewear is pleased to offer readers a new poem by Michael S. Begnal on this important day.  Begnal’s collections are Ancestor Worship (Salmon Poetry, 2007), Mercury, the Dime (Six Gallery Press, 2005), and The Lakes of Coma (Six Gallery Press, 2003). His new book, Future Blues, is forthcoming from Salmon in 2011. Since his time in Ireland, where among other things he was editor of The Burning Bush literary magazine, he has received an MFA from North Carolina State University and presently lives in Pittsburgh.

Dithyramb

The more things change

the more they change, they change:

immortal impossible but

to live long enough

to revolve in the woods, a clearing,

eyes burning with pollen,

the birds enplumed in their trees

will fledge, one after another

night of cars’ bass vibrating, dopplerizing,

sirens screaming, fading,

a black cat there certainly crouching

under a bush

/ then I enter the poem,

and am immediately strong-armed

into a dark garage

where there are no shining mirrors,

no strains of deathless song,

and leering toughs make gestures

hierarchical and lost,

they claim they can define

everyone, that I’m this or a that,

a maker of cloudy cadence, couth—

but of course it’s bullshit

and I’m out along the leaves,

olive-green under the

streetlight lampglow,

the leaves, wet and slick

and always

moving