Stuart Barnes


The Complaint†


is being made on a mint
green form, with the blackest ink

PRESS HARD FOR COPIES
in ivory boxes:

name, address, telephone
my grindstone

blunting the estimated
value of the item: ‘irreplaceable’

X’s
tattooing Damaged (the freckles

of a five-
year-old whiten):

the postie rashly scarred
their only matrimonial photograph



†for my parents

---

Screaming Skull

Wraaaaaaoooghhaaaaa!!!!! – Sonic Youth

N.B. This medicine does not contain tartrazine

---

Siouxsie

Dazzle, it’s a glittering prize
– Siouxsie and the Banshees


Dionysus’
anima,
animus of

Sphinx,
for two and
something

decades
you’ve diminished
Hades’ glint.

Polished bird,
berried girl —— punk
and goth are dirty

words. Skin
from alabaster,
lips hibiscus;

peacocks envy
iridescent eyes;
octaves stiff

the lioness,
the goddess.
Rise and rise,

shake it off,
feel the force
not felt before.

Dazzle,
you’re the glittering
prize.

Dazzle!



Stuart Barnes is arranging the manuscript for his first book of poetry, and writing his first novel. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
 
 
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