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Myth Building Exercise

Poetry, Anthony Procopio Ross


“If you are not a myth, whose reality are you?”

Sun Ra


Impregnating the sky above

the soccer field with reefer

smoke, birthing the red & blue

vehicle heading our way. Tossed

shimmer of bowl & plastic baggy.

Our thumping hearts learning prayer.

*

Bullying the coals red with breath.

Many appendaged invertebrate: immobile,

hookah-destined, at the lean-back-lounge.

A stranger gives us those eyes,

scrolling through photos of two flags—

one for each of her cheeks. A branded patriot.

*

Down a big goddamn hill, flat

on our stomachs. Lean right to go

in the direction of longing. Left

if you’re a coward. Dip the toe

against concrete to slow. But

you’re not scared, are you?

*

A scraggly I-HOP parking lot

in the middle of June sat muffler

quiet with our eyes as open as

the wheel, our white-knuckled grip.

We bought an eighth and plucked

the stems out with his dad’s pocket knife.

*

All thunder. All Modest Mouse.

We sit parked on an off-ramp

before cattle. Cherry tobacco smoke

rolling from the corn-cob pipe he

passes me, says the girl he hooked up

with last night cried in his arms. 

*

There was a secret place out

beside the university’s research pond.

She called it the fairy garden

and couldn’t put the rest to words.

I’d go back by myself picking up

discarded sploofs and condom wrappers.  

*

Buying an eighth of Lonerism on the way

to class. Licking Lonerism shut so

I can pass Lonerism to my friend spinning

a yarn about Lonerism receiving messages

from God. He listens to TOOL. Lonerism

weighing lids. Lonerism skunking bucket hat.


 

Anthony Procopio Ross is a poet born in Kansas City, MO where he teaches writing to college students. He has proposed and conducted multiple grant projects to create and uplift art in the communities he serves. Most recently, he ran Literary Lens: a zine-making endeavor supported by ArtsKC, showcasing Kansas City's local poetry scenes through creating and curating shareable art objects. He thinks zines are just the coolest and that you should make one. His work has been published in the Laurel Review, McNeese Review, and Inflectionist Review, among others. He serves as a co-editor for Bear Review.

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