Bjarte Alvestad


some poems from END OF THE END OF THE GIRL

arguably she caters to his automatic preferences/ the milk the doughnuts the shortbread the crumbs/ the frequent flyer miles the overseas discount the mutual disclosure pact/ the making of phony plans never to be realised/ itineraries fabricated for nobody in particular/ excuses for unnecessarily deposited fluids/ you know/ hotel rooms make it hard for you to dispose of unwarranted objects/ grandiose scale leftovers/ you treasure the supposed looks of surprise/ as housekeepers open and slam doors shut everywhere/ from panama to singapore/ on a part of you that refuses to leave

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he watches the salami/ spread-eagled on rye/ and does not forget to remember/ the first time/ he felt snow against his naked cheeks/ or went to picture show behind eyelids covered with perfumed bandana/ rough benches/ worn paint/ splinters slipping under wrinkled folds/ first time surprise when pulling snail out of shirt pocket/ the balanced grappling under the red moon in a darkroom somewhere/ urinary tract infections contracted from three different water sources/ a bath tub/ a hot tub/ an ocean/

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he realised that even though his dreams might never come true/ they would nevertheless/ if carved in half down the back and seasoned with fresh thyme and himalaya salt/ make a decent meal

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he says:/ when i break down these infernal mechanisms of fear and inertia i will tear this world a new asshole of epic fucking proportions

he says:/ if i break down these infernal mechanisms of fear and inertia i will tear this world a new asshole of epic fucking proportions

he says:/ if i could only have broken down those infernal mechanisms of fear and inertia i would have torn this world a new asshole of epic fucking proportions

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his gums bleed at night/ he is not famous yet/ only well-read and less loved

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the bronze age is coming/ to switzerland too/ having failed to repurpose their faculties/ bankers and investors alike/ develop a final currency:/ a single coin/ carved out of an entire mountain

Bjarte Alvestad (b.1979) is a poet and photographer from Norway working out of Germany. He has exhibited in Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg and Berlin. He has been reading at a variety of events over the last few years, and is now working on his upcoming book, Tbilisi. His chapbook London galleries, and book of poetry STVGR ENDLOS, are available in limited editions from Straitjacket Dolphin Press. He publishes his poetry at: http://halfpastsamurai.blogspot.com/
 
 
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