Stephen Bett, excerpts from Novel Lines

Ravel’s Death Mask

Digital Bricolage, Daniel Y. Harris

 

Jean Echenoz, Ravel (closing line; trans, Linda Coverdale)

[Ravel] goes back to sleep, he dies ten days later;… he leaves no will, no image on film, not a single recording of his voice.

 

 

We all unravel     ·     in a reverse boléro

 

Ligature by ligature

 

Bitty, filmy leaves in a book that seems

to exist largely on the surface       (sur·face

 

(Honest to God the heart still aches

to see them trying)

 

A hung signifier is death by signified

 

For the record,        He is no longer

afraid of the void       (or voice

 

Good luck with that image, manno

give him another tenner

 

Then will him to pray

or prey on his will [1]

Venantius

Digital Bricolage, Daniel Y. Harris

Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose (section heading; trans, William Weaver)

In which Adso writhes in the torments of love, then William arrives with Venantius’s text, which remains undecipherable even after it has been deciphered.

 

We forgot to say please

an ass-backward sign, surely

 

AS if,       from Asbo to Adso [2]

it doesn’t add up

(clunk to monk)

 

Signif·i·cant grapheme drag

— pls decipher

 

(In which Adso, in the scriptorium, reflects on the

history of his order and on the destiny of books)

 

The dumb luck of cooked books

 

The disorderliness of their

Novel Lines [3]

The Franchiser

Digital Bricolage, Daniel Y. Harris

Stanley Elkin, The Franchiser 

Past the orange roof and turquoise tower, past the immense sunburst of the green and yellow sign, past the golden arches, beyond the low buff building, beside the discrete hut, the dark top hat on the studio window shade, beneath the red and white longitudes of the enormous bucket, coming up to the thick shaft of the yellow arrow piercing the royal-blue field, he [the strip mall franchiser] feels he is home.

 

 

Logos, low ghosts & colorized sign·i·frieds

Gather ye strip malls where ye may

 

Scope & scoop ’em out, hang a fire sale sign

 

It’s just like scarf’ing start-ups for PoWorld

(but don’ choke the phoneme, its trigger’s

bigger’n you, fou)

 

Here is where your franchise lies, poesy —

 

Virtue sign·aling     (a ding ding

your own i·dent·ity ity bitty

#PO’em, exclusive [4]

 

*Novel Lines 101: 101 alphabetical poems, each riffing on the opening line of a postmodern novel or metafiction *

—Stephen Bett

---

[1] The two italicized quotes are from Adam Gopnik’s “Foreword” to Echenoz’s Ravel & from the closing line in Echenoz’s novel Big Blondes; the first tenner in “Antunes” (if anyone’s counting)

[2] See Novel Lines 101, “Martin Amis, Lionel Asbo”

[3] The italicized lines: another section heading in The Name of the Rose

[4] It’s of course requisite now to pose in a scarf at your standard indoor poetry reading; & just tidbits: Spicer, Herrick, Creeley

Jim Meirose, Pork

Beelzebub

Digital Bricolage

Daniel Y. Harris 

Pork     

                                                                                       

We’re not doctors no no no I’m not a doctor I’m a malnutritionist {pork} NO I’m not a doctor I’m a beelzabbubblian knight-fly off some “bug” NO {pork} I’m not a doctor I’m a heavyweight champion NO I’m {pork} not a doctor I’m a Friendship 7 {Carmen Basilio} NO I’m not {pork} a doctor I’m a deep deep greenslimed pool NO I’m not a {pork} doctor I’m a boiling soup of hypermanic boiled-down natural chemicals, commonly found in every single mammal, and here and there in a “double mammal”, Daddy, too—NO I’m not a doctor {pork} I’m a bicycle. NO I’m not a doctor I’m {pork} a heinous felony NO I’m not a doctor I’m a {pork} really bad person. NO I’m not a doctor, too, but I’m the really {pork} bad person ‘round these parts darned tootin’ Oh yah? YEA YAH {blowed-out de la topto}! Ann-Nondo! Hey there! Hey there!! Annie Nondo, NO!! I’m not a doctor just a set of shiny {pork} new razor sharp Safety-First^tm Indonesian-made by “union labor” sheap sheers, SO; {pork}There lies Top-mayor, rod-straight on their back, stunned {Psst maybe more than just stunned, but we had to say “something” }. But, {pork} most probably recoverable given the right time. Getting knocked {pork} out was bad at the time, but will wind up being all for the best {pork} [‘s this old-age of a human half-wrinkled out already but within mil spec tolerances of the ideal age to take pain {.or.} [ They said so!] ] {….} B’, it’s just what the “doctor” ordered.               {….sigh….}

—Jim Meirose

Jim Meirose, Floor to walk on, Pupa?

 

Pupa
Digital Bricolage
Daniel Y. Harris

Floor to walk on, Pupa?                                             

Where is my Mother out come from Future or not, the unit would press on. The only future it cared about was the next split-instant. And the next. And the next. come over And the next and the next and the next. come over yes come over yes here’s a {two-celled}   comforting floo {scuttle}  r to walk on when {pupa}   everything is gone then there’ [[This way’s a road to “Nothingville^tm”_{ha ha ha ha}]] s not {three-celled} hing more to pa{pupa}  {larvae} y here is a pillowy floor to w {larvae} alk on when everything’s gone now there’s nothing mo {single-celled}  re to pay {egg} co{three-celled} me on here’s a cushy floor to walk o {scuttle}  n wh{pupa}  en nothi {emb {four}  ryo} ng’s left then there’s yes nothing more to pay welcome welcome here’{lar {thr yes ee-celled} vae} s a silky smooth floor to walk on when eve {larvae} ry Where is my Mother out come from th {two-celled}  ing {pupa}  ’s gone now there’s nothing more to pay here is a warm and coz {scuttle}  y floor to walk on when everything is gone then {two-celled}   there’s nothing more to pay here’s a ric {egg} h {pupa}  soft carpeted fl {embryo} oor to walk on when nothing //hing more to pa{pupa} //’s left now there’s nothin {three-celled} g more to “pay” come on an {single-celled}  d {larvae} come over here’s an easy welcomi {p{embryo} upa}  ng flo {egg} or to walk on when everything {three-c yes elled}  is gone then there’s  {four}  nothing more to pay {single-celled}  “this way” he {two-celled}  re hurry this way{larvae}  here right o or so you thought nto this gently sloping road to walk on when everyt {four}  hing’s gone now there’s nothing more to pay here is an Where is my Mother out come from e {larvae} asy road {pupa}   t {egg} o wander when everything is gon {scuttle}  e then there’s nothing more to pay here is a pillowy floor to walk on when everythi {two-celled}  ng’s gone now there’s not {larvae} hing mor  {embryo} e to pay {three-celled}  this way’s a road to “Nothingville^tm” to freely tr{single-celle {four} d}  avel whe {pupa}  n nothing’s left then the {larvae} re’s nothing more to pay here is a silky smooth floor to walk on when e{egg} verything’s gone now there’s nothing mor {embryo} e to{scuttle}   //hing more to pa{pupa} //  pay here is a warm  {two-celled}  and cozy floor{four}  to walk on wh{embryo} en everything is gone then there’s nothing more to pay here is a rich soft carpe{larvae} ted floor to walk yes on when nothing’s lef  or so you thought t n {three-celled} ow there’s nothing more to pay here is {egg} a easy welcoming floor to walk = F here is a silky smo here is a silky smo here is a silky smo here is a silky smooth floor to walk on oth floor to walk on oth floor to walk on oth floor to walk on when e{egg} verything’s gone now there’s nothing mor {embryo} e to{scuttle}   //hing more to pa{pupa} //  pay here is a warm  {two-celled}  and cozy floor{four}  to walk on wh{embryo} en everything is gone then there’s nothing more to pay here is a rich soft carpe{larvae} ted floor to walk yes on when nothing’s lef  or so you thought t n {three-celled} ow there’s nothing more to pay here is {egg} a easy welcoming floor to walk on when e{larvae} verything is gone then there’s nothing {pupa}  more to pay her {single-celled}  e is an easy down{egg} hill{embryo}  road to walk on when ev {four} erything’s gone now there {scuttle}  ’s nothing more to pay Where is my Mother   out come from out come from so you’re the one eh eh eh  [[This way’s a road to “Nothingville^tm”_{ha ha ha ha}]] so you’re the one bought the line what EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS IS RIGHT FOR YOU  I bet you  //hing more to pa{pupa} // even asked your Doctor eh eh eh eh h r  is a silky smo h r is a silky smo h r is a silky smo here is a silky smooth floor to walk on floor to walk on to walk on I bet you did (no you didn’t)  DID TOO! Ask your doctor if E or so you thought XPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS EXPERIMENT yes AL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  IS RIGHT FOR YOU  did you ask DID YOU ASK wel or so you thought l did you or not yes you did yes you did yes you did s yes you did {larvae} yes you did yes you did so h yes you did yes you did yes you EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR or so you though {pupa} t YOU  did s yes you did yes you did Wasn’t it?? yes you did so here you go eat this up eat this up eat this up o here you go eat this up eat thi yes s up eat this up ere or so you thought you go eat th r is a sil Where is my Mother out come from ky x smo h r is a silky smo h r  is a silky smooth floor to walk on floor to wa is up eat this up eat this up o here you go eat this up eat this up eat th {larvae} is up [[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS {egg}  was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]] //hing more to pa{pupa} //] [[[EXPE[[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes] {pupa}]] [[[EXPERIM[[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATIC or so you thought S was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]] [[[EXPE[[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was R{larvae} IGHT FO{egg}  R yes YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]] [[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]]     or so you thought //hing more to pa{pupa} //

RIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought  yes]]]

ENTAL MATHEMAT yes ICS was RIGH{pupa} T FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought yes]]] Where is my Mother out come from RIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought yes]]]

//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pu//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pu//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pupa}  h ng yes m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p}

pa}  h ng m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p yes {p p}

 to pa{pupa}  h yes yes ng m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p}

pa}  h ng m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p} yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes  on when e{larvae} verything is gone then there’s nothing {pupa}  more to pay her {single-celled}  e is an easy down{egg} hill{embryo}  road to walk on when ev {four} erything’s gone now there {scuttle}  ’s nothing more to pay   so you’re the one eh eh eh  [[This way’s a road to “Nothingville^tm”_{ha ha ha ha}]] so you’re the one bought the line what EXPERIMEN Where is my Mother TAL MATHEMATICS IS RIGHT FOR YOU  I bet you  //hing more to pa{pupa} // even asked your Doctor eh eh eh eh I bet you did (no you didn’t)  DID TOO! Ask your doctor if E or so you thought XPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS EXPERIMENT yes AL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  IS RIGHT FOR YOU  did you ask DID YOU ASK wel or so you thought l did you or not yes you did yes you did yes you did s yes you did {larvae} yes you did yes you did so h yes you did yes you did yes you EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR or so you though {pupa} t YOU  did s yes you did yes you did Wasn’t it?? yes you did so here you go eat this up eat this up eat this up o here you go eat this up eat thi yes s up eat this up ere or so you thought you g Where is my Mother out come from out come from out come from o eat this up eat this up eat this up o here you go eat this up eat this up eat th {larvae} is up [[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS {egg}  was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]] //hing more to pa{pupa} //] [[[EXPE[[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes] {pupa}]] [[[EXPERIM[[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATIC or so you thought S was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]] [[[EXPE[[[EXPERIMENT Where is my out come from Mother out come from AL MATHEMATICS was R{larvae} IGHT FO{egg}  R yes YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]] [[[EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? yes]]]     or so you thought //hing more to pa{pupa} //

RIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought  yes]]]

ENTAL MATHEMAT yes ICS was RIGH{pupa} T FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought yes]]]

RIMENTAL MATHEMATICS was RIGHT FOR YOU  Wasn’t it?? or so you thought yes]]] Where is my Mother

//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pu//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pu//hing more to pa{pupa} //  hing more to pa{pupa}  h ng yes m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p}

pa}  h ng m r  to p {pu Where is my Mother out come from p } h  m r  p yes {p p}

 to pa{pupa}  h yes yes ng m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p}

pa}  h ng m r  to p {pup } h  m r  p {p p} yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Where is my Mother

Where is my Mother out come from out come from

Where is my Mother out come from

Where is my Mother my Mother my Mother

—Jim Meirose

C22 (Vernon Frazer)

 Curtains Calling #1

 

Curtains Calling #2

Down the Drain #1

Down the Drain #2

Purging the Sound of a Syntactical Urge #1

Purging the Sound of a Syntactical Urge #2

Purging the Sound of a Syntactical Urge #3

Reeling in the Reeling #1

Reeling in the Reeling #2

Making the Scene
 
 
                   1.
 
 
caravan headquarters creak
a tethered tremolo near the darkening
briar trampling
                        vibration shops
 
     epithet fright
     removed sonic perforation                     
 
          patrimony eyelash 
          opening the memoriam
 
                                      ladder removed
 
                   2.
 
 
firebrand delicatessen
ripped hot greens like
commission rudiment
 
              putting bubbled ebony
 
        a pancreas souffle
 
reverb tipples
 
          vestries in clearance
          where capability views kneel
          to embrace perforation
 
 
                   3.
 
 
nightclub quibbles
cornered galloping pitchers
     listening
          renewed
                 odor duets
 
disconsolate scruple founders 
removed the withdrawal jubilees
darkening factotum trimming
 
     with broken plagiarism
     trampling torn tremolos 
 
              braking riffs
              mimetic to percussive rudiments
 
 
Spicing a Hunger
 
 
subgum filters travail
off wick as a sea disturbance
hammers the platter
 
          felt anomic flattery
          dished their entropic circle
 
     a low tide under hand
     with ten brocaded adjectives
 
             balanced
             their mounting fervor act
 
 
                 (     )
 
on the climb
the trail wilted a currant path
 
          events to follow
 
     tantric bloodletting 
     marketing dead legends 
     chili paste jumpsuits
 
taste their way across the plate
 
 
Last Seen
 
the postgraduate slither
barbiturate pronouncements
                        a notion
                                      unsealed
 
           flies 
                   pang free
                   sensual verbatim
 
the human deathbed in want goggles
 
                            *
 
           abdominal laser mesh
           assigned a synthesizer welt
           from anterior vectors 
 
shattering vats 
                        among 
                                     easy vertebrates
 
          no seeking 
                           paintbox
                           flail ideology 
                           postal cumulus
 
               suburban poltergeist 
                     rendered 
          the supermarket wrapping
 
                                   testicular loneliness tatters
 
                               *
reaper calling
random load aids woodcutter
        reflexes skip arrears
 
 
               unsealed parodists intervene
 
                         a mayday reprimand limping to revelation
 
 
—Vernon Frazer