Joel Chace


from Threnody in Three Voices

9.Worked hard on the books for Ronnie’s store last

                                                       this occurred to him: a path upward is for
                                                      the old;  that downward, for the young.  The thought was

night until I was so tired I quit.  Today I

                                                                                                                           And so between the enmity of the 
one and the servility of the other, neither had any regard for posterity.

                                                       incontrovertible, but he didn’t at all

tried to catch up on some reading while Jule napped, but soon
went back to the accounts.  Everything added up.

                                                                                                                             Nobility, wealth, the refusal or 
the acceptance of office, were grounds for accusation, and virtue ensured destruction. 

                                                       know why.  The damp mid-winter air chilled him, and
                                                      he treaded carefully over the sidewalks’



10.Never surely did more terrible calamities

                                                       Ronnie took Jule to her 1st Sunday School class after

                                                                                                   icy patches.  He’d forgotten these pleasures of

                                                        church.  She was shy and just sat there all thru it.  Said

     of the Roman People, or evidence more conclusive, prove 
that the Gods take no thought for our happiness, but only 

                                                                               cold, muted sunlight shimmering the moist facades,

                                                         she’d talk and play next week.  Mother brought up all my tin  

                                                                                gray and brown, of houses abutting each other      

for our punishment.  fiercely assailed by adulation, by flattery, that worst 

                                                          as a child.  Jule played with them all day.



11.I have a real hard cold today.  Jule complained
                                                                                                      of a runny nose toward night.  Gave her pills &

along his way; and  —  as the park opened up

                                                        poison of the true heart, and by the selfish interests of individuals.

near and slightly over the summit  —  black branches

                                                                                                      cough medicine.  We both used steam tonight.

                                                         While we instinctively shrink from a writer's adulation, we lend a ready         
                                                          ear to detraction and spite, because flattery involves the shameful 

jigsawing a pale sky.
                                       He strolled westward through

                                                          imputation of servility, whereas malignity wears the false appearance 

                                                                                                      Used one of Jule’s quieting pills (she had as a 

the park, to a street that ran parallel to the one

                                                                                                      baby) for Marci.  Wonderful, all night sleep.



12. he’d climbed.  Taking his initial step of descent,
                                                              he recalled his notion regarding paths for the

                                                                                                     of honesty.   
                                                                                                                            They wasted the property of others 

Ronnie in a spin about the store he wants to buy  —

                                                                                                     in the same extravagances in which they had 
                                                                                squandered their own, till the most rapacious and profligate

                                                                 old and for the young.  Cautiously, bending aged knees  —

he’s always hoped for his own business.  Has first choice on it
now, but needs about $35,000.  After

                                                                                 among them had neither capital nor land remaining, 

                                                                  calves and thighs tightening  —  he landed on a

                                                                                                     nothing in fact but the appliances of their vices.  
                                                                                   Everywhere were sales and brokers, and Rome was in 

his 1st meeting at the bank, he wasn’t encouraged.



13.narrow stretch of ice.  His heart banged against his  

Yet great was the joy to think that the men whom Nero had enriched 

                                                                      Girls upset all day by the heat.  No real rain

would be as poor as those whom he had robbed. 

                                                                                                 chin.  But as he slid, his fear and the years that had

                                                                        for almost 2 months.  Leaves are already
                                                                        turning, & it’s only early Sept.

Otho, having assured himself by various conversations with these men that they were 
     cunning and bold, he loaded them with presents and promises,                     

                                                                                                  brought it on commenced to slide from him.
 
and furnished them with money with which to tempt the cupidity of others.

                                                                         Started raining, finally  —  most of night  —  welcome noise.



14.The frigid air rushing by his ears

                                                                                                    Big disappointment today.  Bank said no deal  —  

                                                 Already he is thinking of debaucheries, of revels, 
                                            of tribes of mistresses. These things he holds to be 

                                                                                                    security too uncertain.  Now what do we do?

exhilarated him.  Yet, despite the increasing

                                            the prizes of princely power, things, in which the wanton

momentum, no blurring occurred.  In fact, vision  —  

                                                                                                    Jule’s urine O.K.  No sugar.  What a relief!

                                             enjoyment will be for him alone, the shame and the disgrace for all.  

         

15.all senses  —  sharpened, heightened to a point where he

Telephone Co. put in our new phone
for the dial system, which starts this weekend.

                                                                                                       The most arrant coward, the man, who, would    
                                                                                           dare nothing in the moment of danger, was the most 

Dreaded all day telling Jule about her operation

                                                           knew he had never before so vividly 

                                                                                            voluble and fierce of speech.  And what others call

                                                        experienced these neighborhoods passing by.

tomorrow.  Finally told her after her bath.    
           

                                                                                                             
16.crimes he calls reforms, and, by similar misnomers, he speaks 
          of strictness instead of barbarity, of economy instead of 
          avarice, while the cruelties and affronts inflicted upon you 

                                           She took it very well, and we packed her suitcase.

                                                                                Sweeping around a curve, with month after month dropping

                                            This a.m., all went well except the shots.  She wasn’t

he calls discipline.  His ears turn to hear every sound.

                                                                                away into the past, he marveled at maroon scalloping

                                             sick at all from the ether.
                                                                                               I was the only
                                               
                                             mother who stayed over for 2 nights.  Was run ragged. 

                                                                                 midway up the front wall of a house he used to visit.

Joel Chace has published work in print and electronic magazines such as, The Tip of the Knife, Counterexample Poetics, OR, Country Music, Infinity's Kitchen, and Jacket. Most recent collections include Sharpsburg, from Cy Gist Press, Blake's Tree, from Blue & Yellow Dog Press, Whole Cloth, from Avantacular Press, Red Power, from Quarter After Press, Kansoz, from Knives, Forks, and Spoons Press, Web Too, from Tonerworks, War, and After, from BlazeVOX [books], Scorpions, from Unlikely Books, and Humors, from Paloma Press.
 
 
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