Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

The Skin

A canvas extending before a window
looking out on camel haired children
Hanging limply from rear view mirrors.

                            *

The Body Hair

During the first attempts at meager beings
beginnings in physical anthropology
blood flowed downward
into the earth
Like acoustic nerves in severed wings.

                            *

The Fingers

Labyrinths of thought
visually, like ectoplasm
A temporary means
Constitutes a receptor
With six segments of astral matter
Giggles of space anatomy.

                            *

The Nerves.

Mortality depends on the complexion
of loose fitting garments
aided by mummified taxidermists
The lances pierce the hollows of the body
The percussive sounds call the tune
Chants de la vie, chants du mort.

                            *

 The Eyes

A cycle of dead infants long ago
created language out of compressed steam
The emotions are diatonic
Speech demonstrates a vortex of navigational elements
Some involve a private universe
Where heavenly bodies lie
In animated suspension
Eggshells with tidal configurations running
Wherein the embryos of crocodiles
Await impending mythologies.

                            *

The Nose

A printed electrical circuit
Its design resembling a particularly rare brain disease
Created a vast mural
You can see it
You breathe it
It is a large swimming pool
The water charged with epidemic
In the pool
Countless chauffeurs stand wedged together
Silent, motionless
The pool is attended by
Cooks, maids, gardeners and grooms.

                            *

The Mouth

A race of superior intellect
Not given to political Bronx cheer leading
Set up theatres of rape
Beautiful brothers and sisters came together
To violate one another
In the guise of assumed diplomacy
Carriages laden with bare feet;
A procession of ceremonial malice with style.

                            *

The Ears

Two renegade gypsies
Set each other’s tumors on fire
Threatening clouds of venereal disease loom overhead
A squadron of World War One fighter planes
combat the menace
Rapid fire of machine gun bullets
Condoms filled with nitro-semen
The sky in metabolic process
Casts off fertile spores
Womanizing the Prince of Ways.

                            * * *