ROCKPILE on the road / 7

David Meltzer


from: Bark, a Polemic

I ran one down. 
Now car-chasing dogs 
Cower from my car. 

He was a rear-wheel barker 
Chased me halfway into town 
Day after day 
Barking. 

For what? 
Dreamer. 
No matter how or why you do it 
You'll get run down . 

                   •

Bark is what us dogs do here in Dogtown 
also shit on sidewalks doormats porches trails 
wherever new shoes walk fearless. 
Bark is what us dogs do here in Dogtown 
it's a dog's life 
we can't live without you. 
Mirror you we are you. 
Beneath your foot or on the garage roof. 
You teach us speech bark bark 
for biscuits we dance for you. 
You push us thru hoops 
& see our eyes as your eyes 
but you got the guns the gas the poison 
all of it. 
Bark is what us dogs do here in Dogtown . 

                   •

It's what they teach in school. 
Go for the throat. 
If it moves, attack. 
Mrs. Callahan in 6th grade said 
To get ahead you gotta be a head-hunter. 
Shrink knowledge into know-how. 
No difference between smart ones or dumb ones. 
Everyone's called asshole. 

We learn after a while of it 
How dangerous mind is. 
A mine-field. Tread easy. 
Minding the store is easy. 
Not caring for any of it is hard, 
Cracks shields. 
Your flags & faces crash to the floor. 
You gotta remember 
It's the Ship of State that's carrying us away. 
Not the people jumping off . 

                   •

Almost there 
crushed dog 
slammed to death 
whilst stuck 
in hot bitch. 
Both went 
neither came. 
O merciful God 
cares not for 
crushed dog. 

                   •

I sent him to school & when he comes back he can 
walk with me down any street . 

                   •

Dog eat dog. 
Can't you see it? 
Everybody's got a bite on 
Everybody else . 

                   •

on a leash 
in orbit 
spaceman 
free fall 
wired into 
master ship 

                   •

on a leash 
window-washer 

                   • 

telephone lineman 
harnessed to a pole 
Rover pisses on 

                   • 

on a leash 
doin time 
chain gang 

                   • 

on a leash 
born 

                   • 

Open the door for the paper 
milk & cottage cheese. 
5 new puppies in a shredded Mexican basket 
eyes scaled, root for tit. 

                   • 

Neutered spayed 
Fixed altered 
Stud & bitch 
Walk around in circles 
Trying to remember 
Something like 
What to do 

                   • 

We came & never left your side. 
Your damned hands never stop grabbing. 
All we wanted was the warmth of your fires. 

                   • 

Mistress is puzzled & angry. 
"I wish they'd speak English. What are they 
saying? I must have the secret." 
     Does he know? 
     She buckles a chemical collar around his neck. 
     The circle spreads death to fleas. 
     "It's for your own good." 
     Branded for life. 
     Arf arf 

                   • 

     Dog who didn't know he was a dog climbed up a tree & hung from a 
branch by his tail, swinging back & forth, singing a song that sounded 
as if it were coming out of a tenor saxophone. 
     "Dogs don't do such things," a master said who passed by the tree. 
     He put dog in his place & gave him a name & a collar & trained him 
with a rolled-up newspaper never to sing again . 

                   • 

Dog stinks of sea & rain 
lies before the fireplace. 
Ribbons of stink-aura steam off his hide. 
Out damned Spot. 
Out. 

ROCKPILE on the road (cont'd)

 
 
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