Marjorie Welish, Word Group
(Coffee House Press, 2004)
ISBN:1-56689-157-4, $15.00


The Signage That was There

Are all contingencies still in effect? Okay, okay, okay.
A sensible object rules the etcher. As if for you.
As for the sensible object without rules, phrases
writing to dedicate what, how and why
in sentences they say that they say they say:
what ad infinitum is it?

They say that they say that they say the word "light"
having caressed a sensible object and other still gluey
led moths to fatigue. They say that they say that fermenting
aftermaths, not having the same obscure fatigue, quite believe you;
few are those who understand the scope of your convalescence,
the seascape of your convalescence.

X pauses. Y pauses and turns, runs.
Z pauses, turns and catches the incandescent
sentence in seascape, having caressed
an obscure fatigue or retreaet from the sensible object.
That's a replica. That's a cautious wavelet
always, sometimes ...

A few aftermaths are always already in transit,
obscure yet transverse as though to emit
the past or the past now
excavated and left methodically, if partially,
translated attention to which he dedicates this detritus:
we met, it melted, it melted infinitesimal hazard
courtesy of comings and goings.

Not now left and once since left, let alone
in an unemphatic state are a few aftermaths — this,
an unpresentable translation from English
as a possible index of streaming incommensurables. Okay, okay.
An upsurge of slurred speech
dedicates itself to unpresentable detritus
"we would still have to have detail" re an anterior future.

I shall be with you momentarily.
"See you later," expresses all of an impressive
soon. Of what will have been done,
met, melted. The detritus
of or relating to all or some or none, From ... To ... as possible okay
infill and efficacy expresses an impressive waste:

as soon as they leave, insofar as
they will have left, been apart from
and left alone as remainder, not sentence,
occupied the aftermaths
entered. Exit "Where's the exit?"
"See you later" sent for
slurred speech adapted to the art of inscription.

We tripped up on all aftermaths but one.
I shall be with you momentarily.
One moment, please!
Are all remote? "It melted" — a rude text
left in the wake of retreat like some maths.
In Scotland reverting to speech was a sign of self-rule —
"I like the idea."

What is it? "Our expectation that 'it' will continue."
"That's something," we rewrote.
My name is ... What time do you close?
Can you show me on the map? "My name is ...," she continues.