New Chapbook: 8X16&IX
weird prose poems! prose weird poems! poems weird prose!
I’ve got a new chapbook from LJMcD Communications; it’s one of my weirder ones! Basically it’s two poem sequences, one of which is me arranging and rearranging the words of an old poem of mine (original lost) and another me arranging and rearranging the words of a Gertrude Stein stanza.
Here’s a couple of poems from the first sequence:
If if do blank more marks horrible will
If I everything I I I’m blank if.
If blank words anymore up everything both work.
Do wish is don’t want not and I blank.
Blank are just thinking wake horrible or more.
More I is want to thinking marks everything.
Marks thinking not to that’s more do.
Horrible sleep sleep better better stop.
Will that’s sleep thinking mark marks anymore.
If I everything I I I’m blank if
If if do blank more marks horrible will.
I blank wish are I thinking sleep that’s.
Everything words is are is thinking sleep sleep.
I anymore don’t thinking want to better thinking.
I up want wake to that’s better mark.
I’m everything not horrible thinking more stop.
Blank both and or marks do anymore.
If work I blank more everything.
I feel like it’s my best stab at writing the perfect modernist poem which makes no sense. And/or it’s a look into what it means to write poetry when you’re kind of neurodivergent and weird. Either one!
So, right, probably not the sort of thing that’s going to burn up the bestseller lists, but maybe a couple of you all might be intrigued enough to buy it? (Besides my mom, who buys all my poetry. (Hi Mom!))
Noah, I am a big fan of your work, and poetry in general. I have to admit though, I don’t really understand this. When I read these, I’m mostly confused, as my brain is trying to make it make sense. Is that the idea? I feel like it points out that reading is for making meaning, and there is no meaning here, except within individual words.
Another question, (and I’m sorry if I seem like an asshole; I’m genuinely curious and feel like I can ask you) how do you know when you’re done with the poem? Is there a structure you’re sticking to? Some set of rules?
It is intriguing.