Circle of Breath

CIRCLE OF BREATH

Cyd Dahl

TRANSCRIPT

(NOTE: This is for ease of reading above poem only. Poem in the circle is the final version in its entirety. Let me know if you need the jpeg file for the above image. Thanks!)

MY HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED INEPTITUDE PRECEDES ME / WHEN WALKING DOWN A PATH, WELL-LIT WITH SUN / A SUDDEN DARKNESS TENDS TO CLING TO THE UNDERSIDES / A VAGUE KIND OF GILDING LIGHT, ENGORGED ON BORED STARVATION / HAVE YOU MADE IT NOW? COMPLETE CIRCUIT OF SOLAR-POWERED SIMPLICITY? / RESIST THE URGE TO TURN COTTONTALE AND RUN / DOWN THE ENDLESS RABBITHOLE / A KIND OF SELF DISASSOCIATION, TO BE CHAPERONED AS A WHALE OF AN EMOTION / JACKET WRAPPED SHRIMP, YOU’RE FALLING FOR IT NOW, BOY / A FURTHER DROP THAN THOUGHT TO THE CARGO HOLD / SPIRAL PASTA IS MY FAVORITE KIND OF SLIPPERY SLOPE / CLEARLY BLIND TO ALL MY CURRENT INCONSISTENCIES YET REMAINS / WELL, YOU MUST FIND SOME KIND OF PLEASURE IN CRUELTY-FREE MALADY / MY EARLY RETIREMENT OF SHORTCOMINGS WOULD BE A WELCOME RESPITE / DON’T YOU AGREE? SHOULD I ALLEVIATE YOUR SELF-INDUCED STITCH? / OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SEE THIS MURMURATION THROUGH TO THE END? / MY DRY-ROT BONES SHRINK TO FIT IN CHEAP REPLICA HANDBAGS / A WOMAN FIT TO TURN YOUR HEAD / MY TRUE FICTION COMPARING AFFLICTION WITH COGNITIVE DISSONANCE / ONE OF THESE DAYS I’M GOING TO GET SO SMALL I SLIP / BETWEEN THE FLOORBOARDS OF A TRUSTING PARANOIA / MY MIND / IS A STRING OF PEARLS. TOO CHIC / FOR THIS KIND OF TRAGEDY / THEY JUST KEEP GOING AND / REFUSE TO STOP THEM / WHO WANTS TO PLAY ROULETTE? / THE INTEGRITY OF THIS WHEEL / IS FAILING BUT / GOING TOO FAST / TO DESTROY / ME / NOW / ANYWAY