Poetry from Alan Catlin

False equivalents or exact ones.

E. Swedenborg, Journal of Dreams,

Was in a garden which had many
divisions; pretty; of these I wished 
to possess one for myself; but looked
about to see if there was any way to get out.
There was a person who picked away a number
of invisible creeping things, and killed them:
he said they were bugs, which someone had
dropped there and thrown in and which infested
people there. I did not see them but saw little
creeping thing which I dropped into white
linen cloth beside a woman. It was the uncleanness 
which ought to be rooted out from me. 

R. Crumb’s Dream Diary

A companion and I were watching big ugly 
insects boldly throw themselves into a fire
in a fireplace. I was highly amused as one by
one these fantastic, repulsive creatures went
into the fire and then squirmed and struggled
and turned black in the flames and hot coals but
did not die or burn up right away. I watched,
making sarcastic, humorous comments, as three,
maybe four, of the large insects went into
the fire in succession. I was glad to see them burn up
finally, consumed by the flames.

531-

Helene Cixous dream book.
Dream a little dream of.
Mamas or papas. Berryman’s
Dream Songs. Henry or Old Mr.
Bones. “Dream I tell you.” “Dreams
without interpretation.” Me.


		532-

“The dreams fell in place like
the dead pushing them out of Hades.”
A forewarning.

		

532-

Mulch, topsoil and stone.
A law firm or farming supplies.
Curfew or curlew. Choose one.
A mockingbird (mockingjay
Question mark) in Cloud Cuckoo Land


		533-

Memoires. I remember Barbra Streisand.
Joe Brainard. Harry Mathews. George
Perec. Ted Berrigan. And Gilbert Adair.
All possibilities. All equally valid. “Memories.”
I remember. “Light the misty corners
of my mind.” As opposed to Malraux.
Who had anti-memories. That I remember.
And Voznesensty’s Antiworlds. Not Freud
Or is it fraud. Go Ask. Anna.

		534-

“I have already lived through this
frightful situation: the head of our 
state gone mad, turned criminal and 
we kill him or be killed.” Dream Poem 
or News article. Current event or
prophecy. “Part of the population 
aware a coup d etat may take place.”
Dream I tell you.  



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