canadian ~ twenty-first century literature since 1999


the witness employs retrospect

by Shane Neilson

a rarefaction occurs when someone dies,
an unexpected change of direction,
unforeseen weather now inclement or
a sudden increase in pressure:


like chaotic plinking of piano keys,
congealed milk on the kitchen floor,
an autumnal chameleonlike colour change,
a latch falling secretly via cogs too small to fathom,
a piece fragmenting into pieces that
gut out the whole, piercing
skin and vessel and bone, strips of love and whatever else
escaping in that released air,


the imperceptible displacement,
the fractured wound,
a tiny place you look back at.

Since publishing this poem, Shane Neilson has become one of The Danforth Review's poetry editors.

 
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TDR is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 

All content is copyright of the person who created it and cannot be copied, printed, or downloaded without the consent of that person. 

See the masthead for editorial information. 

All views expressed are those of the writer only. 

TDR is archived with the Library and Archives Canada. 

ISSN 1494-6114. 

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We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada.