yes!

"You're a six-note genius."

Also, there are bouncy castles in Babylon.

silver dust

degged on slate

Fresh ghosts on the lake.

Still rubbing the dry sticks love and fear

Together in your mind. May again,

Maybe this time I'll...

Above, the tipped gold cup floods across

Blue cloth. Navy swallows stitch the west

Of the bowl of the world. Weddings come.

2010

alexander you have failed me again.

damn you boy! again and again this failure, this crawling indifference.

with his arm he swept a jug off the table. it crashed to pieces in front of the children.

he drew his broad leather belt. how many times…?

sonia and anna wept. father, please, have mercy!

at that moment was heard a distant rumbling, as of storm or battle. sonia and anna pricked up their ears. the thunder grew.

outside on the main street of the village the imperial army was marching past, the guards cavalry, resplendent in silver. spurs. vermilion tunics, navy leggings. a thousand brilliant bayonets. iron cannons drawn on oaken wheels. tassels, shakoes, epaulets. stars and suns of steel and gold. the thunderous hooves.