{revision}

ugh. love it when I creep myself out with a poem that I, ostensibly, wrote.

Harvey’s song

whether coded or uncoded, is time not an object
to be dissected, splayed out across the evening news,
but pre-linguistic and therefore incommunicable, a shadow,
damn, is that blood or mud on your shoes, another pair ruined.

to be dissected, splayed out across the evening news,
such a shame, but don't you want to be famous?
damn, is that blood or mud on your shoes, another pair ruined
for nothing, no one even noticing you, lonely heart, amateur,

such a shame, but don't you want to be famous
for something, since even "neutrality" is a choice, or
for nothing, no one even noticing you lonely, heart, amateur,
another face, in the diner, your efforts must be good

for something, since even "neutrality" is a choice, or
the clues were too obscure, you're too sharp to be
another face in the diner, your efforts must be good
or you're nothing, imprinted in, burned into, the signifier

the clues were too obscure, you're too sharp to be
caught but that's the endgame, isn't it, you're reality
or you're nothing, imprinted in, burned into the signifier
and not here, skill lies in the ability to surprise chance, to be

caught but that's the endgame, isn't it, your reality
relies on this chessboard set of snapshots, her and her
and not here, skill lies in the ability to surprise chance, to be
certain of its authenticity, that is fear, this is a tree, reality

relies on this chessboard set of snapshots, her and her
subjugation of the viewer, this is beyond language, so
certain of its authenticity, that is fear, this is a tree, reality
the language-denying moment of visual contact,

subjugation of the viewer, this is beyond language, so
real you could touch her, could go back there, lift the plastic
-- the language-denying moment of visual contact --
the laceration of the viewer by a detail, an eyelash on a cheek,

real, you could touch her, could go back, there, lift the plastic,
a picture endows the subject with a certain sovereignty --
the laceration of the viewer by a detail, an eyelash on a cheek --
as well as vulnerability. the camera colonizes reality,

a picture endows the subject with a certain sovereignty
(how muffled her moan) (I do think that's blood)
as well as vulnerability. the camera colonizes reality,
so smoke is the index of fire, slurred speech of drunkenness,

how muffled her moan, I do think that's blood,
important to keep it all straight, where and when and whom,
so smoke is the index of fire, slurred speech of drunkenness,
why does no one recognize me here, am I not apparent,

important to keep it all straight, where and when and whom,
profilerating a terminology in an effort to describe
why does no one recognize me here, am I not apparent
as pastiche, parody, evolution, adaptation -- they

proliferating a terminology in an effort to describe
what I do. these are my shoes. my face. snapshot
as pastiche, parody, evolution, adaptation -- they
always miss the non-motivated detail, dead giveaway

: what I do. these are my shoes. my face. snapshot
in the trash, I leave a trail a kid could follow but she
always miss “non-motivated detail,” dead giveaway.
I exist. not to be ignored, bloody, photographable as she.

in the trash, I leave a trail a kid could follow but she
but pre-linguistic and therefore incommunicable, a shadow.
I exist not to be ignored, bloody photographable, as she
whether coded or uncoded, is time, not an object.



(Lines 1, 3, 10, 16, 20, 26, 28, 32, 36, 40, 46, 48, and 52 are taken wholly or in part from “The Spoken Image: Photography and Language” by Clive Scott, Reaktion Books, London, 1999.)