by Suzán Jiván
after Nina Simone
Stylistic contradictions
between the vivid
and the obvious
as aimless shallowness
in metal beds of emptiness
becoming gawky and frumpy
again against the next
leering gentleman
and rejection
with the need to sing
as melodic legato
in isolated bravado
shooed by boos...
by Suzán Jiván
Letters so eloquent
one after another
amid dozens spun
twisted into gossip
by manic cocks
like captious critics
in a promiscuous tale spin...
by Suzán Jiván
Earliest manuscripts
on nebulous slips
subsisting
as transcriptions
on perpetual winds
like origins of history
bound by spirits
mirrored
in the celestial rim
with deep significance
still in its infancy
imprinted in scripture
worshipped as vision
within rituals
of mortal petition...
by Suzán Jiván
Wall of the hall
like liturgical calls
adroit as offerings
before the dawn
of three or four
grotto-sponsoring altars
while pacing the void
as a strong point
or vast resource
for the unanswerable
drafted as standard
along with a longing for support
found in songs with nothing more
than stories morphing
into mortar for all...
by Suzán Jiván
after Psalms 74, 75 & 76
Smoke against the sheep
purchased of old
above reproach
under the soul
of tumult
like the remainder
of constraint
as complacency...
by Suzán Jiván
The most storied
awestruck
record numbers
in totally unique
speakeasies
intermingling
missing ingredients
as seamlessly
as Y-peelers
reminding you why
silence is sacrificed
like handheld dive lights
breaching the divide...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Lizard beetles
stem-boring larvae
shining blue-black
considerable damage
common on flowers
with tips of abdomens
II
Barely visible
in retractile cavities
as roots of agaves
decayed
while hibernating
on mites
like pleasing fungi...
by Suzán Jiván
for Anne-Adele Wight
Passing as shamrocks
when planted in pastures
with prostrate plants
becoming papery with age
like parting leaves rising
in rotation pinnately escaping
from cultivation into an ovary base
alternately chambered
with Eurasian stamens as shamans...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Somewhat zigzagged
often angled scales
as substandard classes
with branded branches
II
Of older bark
end buds true
end buds false
fruited usually
III
Broken twigs sour odor
hairy stalk corky wing
centered directly...
by Suzán Jiván
The first desire
voluntary
and involuntary
as a genesis
of self-expression
to varying effect
as antithetical epics
undoubtedly intended
to form themselves
nourished by intellect
marvelously rendered
with dramatic intensity
towards the monumental
as surfaces of flesh
postulating the presence
of divine intervention
one cannot help...
by Suzán Jiván
for Debrah Morkun
Like kinship
underlined in mime
with watery eyes
welled from writing
while aspiring
to climb with rhyme...
by Suzán Jiván
Comes to contemporary
updated debates stipulated
and fully acclaimed as slang
becoming truncated
like deadpan exchanges
while keeping the faith
in the deeper layers
of a simulated sex change
becoming ultimately debased
by a twangily Appalachian application...
by Suzán Jiván
Change is tricky
and can quickly
become
as scary
as a flash
player
with graphic
add-ins
in gutsy hues
like a slew
of Givenchy shoes
with pre-approved
boots as a ruse...
by Suzán Jiván
Tuberous roots
scurrilously unfurling
into violet purples
of flagrantly rank
late grotesque shapes...
by Suzán Jiván
for CA Conrad,
author: " A Beautiful
Marsupial Afternoon"...
Often seen
swimming
in midwinter
past cattails
lined
with grasses
small snails...
by Suzán Jiván
Open only in the sun
unlike most worts
appearing crinkly
in the eve...
by Suzán Jiván
A striking
ground cover
yellow pea
narrow leaves
dry seeds...
by Suzán Jiván
for Ms Foo, Esq.
Where they still
similar will
liquid, "trill"...
by Suzán Jiván
for The Navajo Nation
Mournful whistle
d
r
o
p
p
i
n
g
in the middle
gray in winter...
by Suzán Jiván
for Anne-Adele Wight
Warning
twisting
one night
as queen
of the breeze
buster victor
one wish
actually
imminent
on two minutes
point counterpoint
hyped hip-hopper...
by Suzán Jiván
Sprinkles o' plenty
onto wall texts
pouring resources
into Swords, Staves
Cups 'n' Coins
suited for all four
professing
to feeling buried
in mystical splendor
numbering
from ace to ten
with the faces of many...
by Suzán Jiván
for Uncaring Health Care
A lip-smacking number
for everyone
sucking their thumbs
stripped down
head to breast
distended with dissent...
by Suzán Jiván
Tide together
all along
a short shore
with trace arcs
all over the ocean
floor as coordinates...
by Suzán Jiván
for Thom Donovan
Scoured by sand
as sea glass
consigned
to waves
over decades
signal light
taillight twilight...
by Suzán Jiván
for Anne Waldman
As is the case
on the way
to a major
portrayal
of a native
close shave
with volume
and length...
by Suzán Jiván
Barely crossing
almost never
seen singly
spike billed
hoarse raspy
contrasting,
"zheek"
or "wink"
gloss on wings...
by Suzán Jiván
Slightly greenish
lacking pink
dusky below
submarginal rows
hosts are willows...
by Suzán Jiván
for CA Conrad
Orange marks gold bumps
summits meadows
moon-seeded wings fluttering...
by Suzán Jiván
for Larry Robin
@ Moonstone
Art Center
Scented
orange-red
clinging
to bare stems
yellow berries
fresh attention...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Patchy and tremulous wavering
midrange like nicknames
on stationery emblazoned
as surnames of the flirtatious
II
Receiving standing ovations
precipitated by the highly praised
as unmistakably straight-laced
hobbled offstage...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Seemingly blithe
Jiminy Cricket-like
with a diva of a wife
as flash and stridency
II
Revisited again and again
like chilling aspects
memorably unsettled
pushed over the edge
where only the fog could tell...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Performing
nearby
ticket buying
on opening night
II
Distant and slight
aisles lined
with mistaken
identities
III
Past their prime
attitudinizing
rack and ruin
in a new musical...
by Suzán Jiván
Time
traveling
revamped
as fancy
footwork
into a multi-
platinum
past
of con-
temporary
adages
wrestling
merrily
with self-
propelled
unarresting
webs over-
whelmingly
backed
as scrappy
factions
of one-
time
dancers
in pod-
casts
with
graphic
detail...
by Suzán Jiván
This hinge moment
narrowly cogent
opening low
with three
no-trump
from the dummy
signaling for clubs
diamonds doubled
heart ruff
down one
runner up...
by Suzán Jiván
I
Scarce
and
local
little
time
often
soaring
wings
broad
II
Short
tail
long
note
near
nest
"yelp,
yelp,
yelp"
III
Shaped
like
a
hawk
feeds
like
a
scavenger
on
road-
killed
animals
IV
Black
crest
black
belly
pale
areas
scaling
back
V
GatherIng
mottling
weak
harsh
marmots
VI
Held
horizontal
rusty
orange
hollow
carcass...
by Suzán Jiván
I
From ground
level
to the canopy
mimicking
the appearance
of bark
II
Hump-backed squat
pests of crops
foamy toxic
ground-hopping
legs splayed
eggs laid...
