Spencer Selby

SURFACE DIVE

Cause for premature
best of regardless.
Made a mistake
when entering politics.
Heart of trade run down
by return of unreal service.

All die crime
in judging too long
as people say
is a gateway to suffering.
All music all motive
all discharge periodic.

Secret art from stomach reach
of misdirected passion.
Precious garden
sign of rotten
no word better than certain.

Not beautiful seashore seeing it.
Not finger in household
anatomy overture
feeling it.

Shows concrete anyway
proof of big-time cowardice.
Imitates childhood
to lure men away
Keeps people waiting on
a compulsion to write down
outmoded consequence
build for today.

Work below ground
in times of flood.
Damaging bulwark
connection with the eye.
On face obsolete
the noxious spell
On face in good taste
obscene worship
master slave relationship
always in the wrong.

Above and below
the person you become
doing one job after another.
Automatic impulse
dark night
gloomy thoughts
to express a convenient limit.

Scandal of time
complain of others
laugh to scorn
the mob overrun by
doorway's profit.

Swear you know
the singlemost goal
eaten or crucified blindness.
Desire more dangerous
than any wild beast
who believes in everyday
taken for license.

Ongoing total as
volume form
washed out in blood sublime.
Hypnotic worm
with strength to halt
crimes committed
in whose name.

Point of address
something other.
Hand to mouth
masterstroke
result of work
reaching back

that no one else can utter.
 
 

TARGET TROUBLES

Target troubles another showing
family relative stranger
gold class situation

Landlord ground ownership
slave media photos frightening
ambiguous sorry attitude
engraved in the city

Can't tell certain recourse
behind the counter getting difficult
with far too many

Can't free enterprise
lurid shadow cry unnoticed
charm of ridicule endless

Day by day
facts and unreality spreading
uniform slogans blazing
armchair hand in bleeding

Fire temper long unwritten
dark water mercy or vengeance
failed appearance indoor outdoor
spirit in waiting

Criminal storefront leaning
reserve empty pockets growing
collective guilt and knowledge
stranded again and again

The current price the stolen food
the sealed doors the wasted body
people speak of and forget about
like a break in the sun
 
 

CROSS

Cross to bear in high places.
Fact imposed on social purpose.
Network losing tenure
because culture has the wrong
association.

Courage over instinct
is a qualified fear,
gets us through the door
to the floor above.
Harsh in its light of
clothing coming alive,
displaced or misunderstood
with dialogue unable to record
the scream of its victims.

Degree of guilt among
citizens named after a war
that never happened.
Research fitted with
a standard Beta face.
Cool and grey surface
locked in a dance of death.

Trail set to being
wounded or reported
missing in action.
All the books' suffering need
to say good things about
human potential.

Last call rootless
tree struck by lightning
in the only way possible.
Changes on a global scale
given shape too perfect for
discovery by the person I am.
 

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