“IT’S FLATTERING”

so many hands are eager
to run through these deadend souls
parse them out and STRING STRING STRING
+++++new theses for their roles
+++++++++++discard that one, corpus too skinny
+++++magna magna magna diem, lookit this
+++++++++++wring twenty pages outta this
so many hands clutch pens and die
+++++so many hands rummage thru
+++++++++++pass cites to me
++++++++++++++++++++++++(to me to you)
+++++++++++AGING MOTHER, WHOSE
+++++++++++++++++uneducated splendor
+++++++++++(IBID), WHOSE
+++++grasp of latin was earned in church
+++++++++++++++++(IBID), whose
+++++++++++sense of morals were left in lurch
let them not parley with me
+++++++++++EAGER EAGER EAGER HANDS
+++++RACK THEIR ROUTE AND RAISE MY STANDS
+++++++++++++++++my ph.d. won with a pamphlet
+++++now used, abstract cited
+++++++++++rest not read: too dense
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++too dull
+++++++++++++++++++++++TOO WARM
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++TOO FULL
+++++++++++praise my gut before my brain
+++++ONE WAS EMPTY
++++++++++++++++++ONE WILL BE AGAIN.
****

“DISPATCHER STACCATO”

aye aye turn it up
++++got to outdrown a scream
++++radio call comes in, sup?
++++++++FIRE, FIRST NAT’L BANK
++++++++OFFICER DOWN ON MAIN
++++WACO RERUNS, BRING A TANK
savor it in my brain
aye aye my man let’s see it live
++++SHOOTOUT ON FIRST AND THIRD
++++11-99 OFFICER NEEDS ASSISTANCE
cardio monitor, killstreak trance
++++WIPE VISOR / JAM / BLURRED
fucking hacker
++++++++++++++this guy’s walling
++++lol its not even ranked bro
++++++++++JACK ME IN
++++++++++++++jack me off
++++++DON’T LET ME OUT
++++++++++another death in the
++++++internet cafe
++++++++++legs smug with clots
++++++++++and rictus S I P B O Y S grin
+++++++no homicide i think i think
back to (clock) load laud
++++triggermaster veil and
++++my face unfolds, i/o spike
+++++++out on the street my servos whirr
++++and i can feel breeze on my metal skin
+++++++blood on my screen, then it blurs
++++to erase it would be a sin.

*******

Audrey Rhys is an ornithologist from New Mexico who finds writing to be an adequate break from birds.