Cracked Altimeter Volume 3 Joe Milford BlazeVOX [books] Buffalo, New York Cracked Altimeter by Joe Milford Copyright © 2008 Published by BlazeVOX [books] All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission, except for brief quotations in reviews. Printed in the United States of America Book design by Geoffrey Gatza Ebook edition BlazeVOX [books] 14 Tremaine Ave Kenmore, NY 14217 [email protected] publisher of weird little books BlazeVOX [ books ] blazevox.org 2 4 6 8 0 9 7 5 3 1 Table of Contents The Broken Book of Engravings........................................................................................... 9 Hourglass in a Sandstorm................................................................................................... 32 A Guide to the Sand Hissing Abyss............................................................................... 32 demolitions expert ........................................................................................................... 33 rocket scientist ................................................................................................................. 35 a construction worker’s poem on the void..................................................................... 37 I am forlorn ....................................................................................................................... 60 Inspirational Paperback Rations........................................................................................ 62 Pagoda ............................................................................................................................... 64 manifest destiny............................................................................................................... 66 Setting out ........................................................................................................................ 68 Santa Fe ............................................................................................................................ 72 Postcard from a crashing moon over New Mexico....................................................... 74 Looking For Something That Lasts in a Sandstorm................................................... 76 Leaving El Dorado ........................................................................................................... 78 Another dumb Tourist..................................................................................................... 80 hell ..................................................................................................................................... 81 for a lover of a dog from hell (postcard from Cerebus)................................................ 84 A Ransom Note Read Aloud and Accompanied By Harp ........................................... 86 postcard to my brother .................................................................................................... 87 Postcard From Anonymous............................................................................................. 89 Postcards From Weasels ................................................................................................. 90 I saw one more last thing................................................................................................ 91 Treatise on Excursions Within One’s Own Temporal and Corporal Body............... 92 Versus Verses ................................................................................................................... 94 Blind date with Infinity .................................................................................................. 95 Wishing for the Unplaces................................................................................................ 97 Poetry is sonic archaeology........................................................................................... 100 A Nightingale Replies to a Boy .................................................................................... 102 Poem of the Desert......................................................................................................... 102 Fossilized Roadmap ....................................................................................................... 103 Looking for Sand in the Desert .................................................................................... 106 MIDDLE OF THE BURNING BRIDGE I. Eden’s Southernmost Regions....... 108 Vineyard Sketches ......................................................................................................... 110 Sierra Nevada................................................................................................................. 114 7:47................................................................................................................................... 115 flew in first class for the ceremony, got the key to the city, left immediately....... 117 waiting for 14-Abercorn to Southside Savannah....................................................... 119 The Low Country ........................................................................................................... 121 July 4th, Savannah to Charleston ................................................................................128 The Ghost of Frank Stanford ............................................................................................132 frank’s knives .................................................................................................................133 portraits...........................................................................................................................134 Concussion at a campsite..............................................................................................137 erosion island..................................................................................................................141 if every bottle is a soldier ..............................................................................................145 Savannah Saturday night with esoteric text .............................................................149 Sunday morning.............................................................................................................150 Croatoan ..............................................................................................................................151 DEMIURGE ........................................................................................................................154 Mantra Jinx.........................................................................................................................181 Tambike the Itinerant...................................................................................................181 lead...................................................................................................................................184 take it easy unless it keeps you from effluvium ........................................................185 Boomerangs ....................................................................................................................186 Sikh knife ........................................................................................................................186 what he said was by accident .......................................................................................187 Reading Joseph Brodsky at 30,000 ft..........................................................................188 the definition of the infinite..........................................................................................192 cages.................................................................................................................................193 lethargy of wonders upon parade-wheels ...................................................................195 Deconstruction Childhood Anecdote............................................................................196 gestalt graffiti.................................................................................................................198 Echo is stasis ..................................................................................................................202 Bowdon, Georgia summers ...........................................................................................203 After Kunitz’s Careless Love........................................................................................204 That old leather green cover.........................................................................................205 Adumbral Aphorisms ....................................................................................................206 Sheltonisms (for Scott, the greatest friend anyone could ever have or try to kill) ..........................................................................................................................................215 Tongue to Tourniquet....................................................................................................217 the census........................................................................................................................219 confession ........................................................................................................................220 Sunday morning after all night baking shift .............................................................221