Jul 13, 2023

Poems by Stephen Bett

INFRA LASTING

If it’s infrathin it’s gotta be well short
of “infrasimilar”

As gurl to grrl…

Same diff, or not really?
(an A’muricanISM)

Go teach your grandmother
to suck electric prunes (dear)
(masquerading in the fridge?)

This crew at sea —
[We’re] not ready to face the light
[We] had too much to dream
Last night


Think dream, sailor
If thinkin’ could be dreamin’
(more than a thin diff)
wch aint for real, that
boat sailed

Well, I told you once an’ I told you twice…

InfraTHIN’s “the very lastness of things
… [a] frail and final minimum before
reality disappears”

(Bang, homesteader)

This could be the last time…
Oh, no Oh, no-o-o

So darlin’, save the last dance

… us mincing ones

It’ll put your duplicitous reel
on edge


Notes: The Electric Prunes, “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”; Rolling Stones, “The Last Time”; The Drifters, “Save the Last Dance for Me”; Re: “the very lastness”— see Paul Matisse footnote to “Inhabiting the Sound Gaps”; Re: “the real” as duplicitous—see Robin Blaser’s essay on Spicer, “The Practise of Outside”; David Dowker introduces us to his (?) term “infrasimilar” in his poem “The Information Paradox” (Dissonance Engine)


M LETTERED READY FOR USE

Last night
Thinkin bout las’ night…


It was reel it back in

It was She-e-e-e-e-e-ry, Sherry bay-yay-bEE

It was mincing up airy-fairy & fiery
— Oh no, oh no, you’re gonna b-u-u-rn! —
right down to the lastest glittery ember

It was rolling round the roses Rosie
mein frau dug infraRED out of sight

It was won’t you come out tonight
pyre higher & higher on a magiK
red-hot-wire carpet flier

It was Sher-err-erry airheads flambée
bloodstains track the hall of miЯRors
(It were nowhere Rreal womyn’d done gone)

It was Sailor Grrl cresting adrift
our on·lie the lone·lie muse, feisty
M lettered ready for USE


Notes: The Traveling Wilburys, “Last Night”; Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons; Arthur Brown, “Burn”

Poem by Stephen Bett

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