Matthew Lafever (Poetry)

the ingram tree

Roving bands of cannibals stalk the
Agean Sea.

Their sail alight with fury and vengeance.

Ills had been delivered by kites
from the mainland.

A curious package, a nut of the rare
Ingram Tree was clutched in its talon.

Dropped on the island's most southern spit.
The tree's began to rise.

Known for a growth rate overtaking that of bamboo
the tree's feet, legs, and arms began to tiptoe
towards the island's center.

To this day no one knows how long it took.
These cannibals, their homes taken over and
invaded by the Ingram tree.

Now these men charge about the sea,
bearing teeth and anger, searching for the taloned kite
who brought their island's final night.

goddamn

I've seen you swear through clenched teeth.
Their grind was heard across the room.

Your gums were raw from over-cleaning.
Your hair weighed down by oils of an artificial nature.

Anointed by God's long past, I forgive you.
My sight it might.

Blink once, blink twice,
I'm gone.

No Abraham! You cannot have my foreskin.
You missed your chance, now it's mine.

I will purge you of your gaping wounds-
your water will be wine.

Sodom fell aeons ago.
You will fall today.

Thursday, Aug. 18th, 2008
22:32

It is said that before the domination of white civilization, some natives would
dance, sing; orgified by the whims and woes of a drug.

That drug to be precise was mescaline.

<Officer> Dispatch, we got a 10-50 in progress on S. Samoa. Approximately 1.5 miles south
of Murphey's.
<Dispatch> Requesting details.
<Officer> Uhhh.. from what we've made out, most likely a female over dosing on LSD.

I wonder who was trying to guess what the natives were doing?