New City VI

 

We are all making this

up as we go along.

 

This top stylist

isn't listening.

 

How employees

employ workers!

 

How do I enjoy myself?

This mostly comes

 

by being compulsive.

The reasons

 

for not listening

are deeply personal.

 

My new friend has

a rule of thumb.

 

You have had

a poorly timed affair

 

with the automobile.

We give

 

small things

big weight to the point

 

there is a difficulty in

swaying a thinking.

 

Where will we go,

Sweet Marlin?

 

We get our tickets in

this ridiculous counter.

 

Picture a monitor

surrounded by wires

 

underneath an airport

videos are so

 

gallantly streaming.

If you shake it

 

more than three times

I don't know how

 

to speak to you.

Your crooked mom

 

wants to meet me.

I have arrived on time

 

to boss the world

around again.

 

Behind this new

electric fence

 

I heard there were

alligators.

 

Now your jumpy mom

is listening.

 

You are trying

archery

 

for the first time

but this fucking puppy

 

is running around

in front of you.

______________________________________

Originally from Nebraska, Scott Abels has an MFA from Boise State University.  His poems can be found (or are forthcoming) online and in print with H_NGM_N, Sink Review, Best New Poets, Forklift, Ohio, RealPoetik, DIAGRAM, Word for/Word, Sixth Finch, and others.  His first book of poems, Rambo Goes to Idaho, is available with BlazeVOX [books]. He currently lives and teaches in Honolulu, where he edits the online journal of poetry Country Music.