THE CRITIC WRITES POEMS: STEVE DALACHINSKY

hayren(g)aku with myself

bent

then after

  better than ever

afterward

  he spat

    into the well

spitting

   yet another

      tired well wisher

unwell

  spittle formed

      below his mouth

below 

  feeling shakey

     fear wells up

 _____________________

suckling a life saver

relaxing inward

   tension

______________________

under the gun

    six gangsters

               shooting

_______________________

tobacco 

  loose lipped

     a smoker dreams

______________________

X

marks the

  spectacular gangly orifice

_________________________

dead friends dance

   imparting wisdom

         slowly 

______________________

eaten

   fudge whimper

           guess who lingers

*****

Poet/collagist Steve Dalachinsky was born in Brooklyn after the last big war and has managed to survive lots of little wars. His book The Final Nite (Ugly Duckling Presse) won the PEN Oakland National Book Award. His latest cds are The Fallout of Dreams with Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach (Roguart 2014) and ec(H)o-system with the French art-rock group, the Snobs (Bambalam 2015). He has received both the Kafka and Acker Awards and is a 2014 recipient of a Chevalier D’ le Ordre des Artes et Lettres. His poem “Particle Fever” was nominated for a 2015 Pushcart Prize. His most recent books include Fools Gold (2014 feral press), a superintendent's eyes (revised and expanded 2013/14 - unbearable/autonomedia), flying home, a collaboration with German visual artist Sig Bang Schmidt (Paris Lit Up Press 2015) and “The Invisible Ray” (Overpass Press – 2016) with artwork by Shalom Neuman.