A CONVINCED FLAT EARTHER

to skate

too close

to row back

to claw back

the ill-gotten gains

to claim

this land

to demob

to delist

to despoil

to entertain

incomprehension

to start to say

something that you know

you will regret

to the end

of your days

only to realize  

that you don’t 

need to actually say it out loud 

because

everyone already

knows just how you feel

to self-soothe

with sandpaper

THE FIRST PAST THE GATE

to all appearances

to delaminate

to disport 

to decorticate

to display

the humble mien

to comport

to maintain the decorum 

appropriate to the occasion

to be far eclipsed

to at least entertain

the notion

that we have

no idea at all

which end is up

to accept our lot

even though

it’s not a lot

to beat

the band

within an inch

of their miserable lives

to my way 

of thinking 

as if this

was anything

I’d ever be caught dead

thinking about

to roundly descry

immediately

and then unhesitatingly

take up with

gusto

to exhibit no ambition

whatsoever with regard

to that attribute 

of our core content

to be obliged 

to witness

that alien creed 

ascending

to the heights  

to be anointed

our byword and hissing

VEER YAW AND PITCH

to besmirch

to say

this far

and 

no further

to be sure

to establish

a simulacrum

of suzerainty

to lie abed

to all hours

to round upon them

to worry
unto unravelling

to harry

mercilessly

to self-seed

as if

sown with doubt

to keep the dust down

to cover the mirrors

to liken ourselves to

as if

we really

did like

ourselves