James Grinwis

SMOKING ON THE FIRE-ESCAPE, JEAN COCTEAU REFLECTS ON MOONLIGHT
BEFORE HIS HORSESHOE MATCH WITH FREDERICK DELIUS

The sun going down: balmy.

The work in progress: continual, jagged, cindery.

The huge horse costume
thrown into the pile around the pig roast, torn to shreds.

Upside down slants of light puncture the floor tiles
to awaken the mollusks and set them loose.

A great dirigible, a halo spilling out needles
or the tines of Renaissance forks.

The oranges in Florida
suck it up and let the prongs embed themselves

to melt and explode in the dawn,
to shine like the flanks of unbridled horses.

James Grinwis is the author of two books of poetry, THE CITY FROM NOME (TNPR press) and EXHIBIT OF FORKING PATHS (Coffee House). He co-founded bateau press with Ashley Schaffer in 2007.