Hotel Tape Water                                                         

the tape

            runs

out of

        the

            slots 

designed to hold water                 a rapid worm          steaming at the balding lights

a sound terrifying                      from  television particles         a lamp sight 

set on hearing the bleeding

noise 

hungry sound

           between  moans --            Our fellow apes        curling banana skins & wiping their brow-heat bleating silver sweat                         degrees                 that flame ---

                                               accidental water handles                   fires over roofs        mouths holy and on fire

I can see the molten leaves            golden flat noses gilded on shining wide faces         studied and deliberate ignorance of                                                                                                                           the sun   

                                                           hair clots     basement refrigeration of bridal gowns      ink-hair netted and drummed out of a widening yelling voice  ----

                                                                 ornamental

                                                                        hoses       horses     fondled by the tipping velvet night

 water hearse                 floating          drifting along 

                        on the wide river 

                                                motion

her-self carried by

                        the quiet           under the armored bridges             along

                                                                                    corridors that snake and                                                                           loop

her-vision       visible and softly tangible as street lamps evaporate          

      gunpowder  

                                                thunder

                            eyes             invisibility in the dank heat 

                            of summer       night 

            silence                  polygraph    silence                

silver running recording tape winding at bright eyes     the sink and 

the unvarnished lightbulb                                           white bleached silence                   an eye in a toothblade        hotel silhouette  ---

                                    tape tavern quiet dark heat

                                                            silent strong thrombotic thrombing     throb hole      a missionary position

                                                                                                crucible eyehole       key tears     precision

                                                                                                insight       ---      

Max Wolf Valerio

Draft one - March 31, 2004 -- 12:54 am 

Final Sept. 10 - 2005