who turns up to every party
late and slow
and seeks the bar
with an ant eater for a facewho shakes but does not dance
who barely keeps sentences together
but instead leaves them
spread out between mouths
like washing hanging
on string between
old buildings in Europewho makes up every dollar
he's ever earned, who tears tissues
with earthy fingers
and fills the salad bowl with
the smell of ratswho is found hugging a pot plant
after the music stops,
who does not want to go home
and tried to eat every handshakewho wears American
highway-cop sunglasses and passes
out on the couch
between conversations, whose
pants come with black hole pockets
for small change and fiverswho hits on girls in posters
and leaves lichen-like drool
on fluffy pillows where a little sister
was to sleep that nightwho is found the next morning
in the stairwell, stinking of the grave
and undergoing a terrible chrysalis
and twitching.
32: ZOMBIE 2.0
Poetry Editor Ivy AlvarezReleased 1 April 2010
Index of Poems
Cover Image: Katerina Sakkas
We went back to the future for our thirty-second issue, revisiting ZOMBIE (2003). Why? Well, It was a chance to pay homage to the issue of Cordite with the most braaaiins, so who needs any further excuse?
Oooh, nice twist at the end. Love it
Thanks, Jen! Glad you like the shift there, it was a fun poem to write actually!
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“who tears tissues with earthy fingers and fills the salad bowl with the smell of rats” just one of many hold-your-breath images here.
i could see the character, in my minds eye, a personification of a 21st century zombie, chilling, because he is as if invisible, and your words have given him a form that cant be denied. He reminds me so much of a character played by nicolas cage in the movie
'leaving las vegas' that i saw recently. the character, ben, was actually twitching in alcohol toxicity in the last scene (just a strange kind of remote synchronicity) but i saw in your poem the 'zombies' tragic dimension. very moving.
I think I've met this man about town. Awesome poem Ashley.
Thank you, Gabrielle! He's a disturbing regular chap around watering holes, not surprised you've seen him before!
Cool! Thanks, tipota! What a great, self-destructive character to compare this zombie too – how apt! Great film too. I like that this modern zombie has become so much more visible to you too, it's a great compliment, thank you!
a very handsome poem.
Thanks, Emilie!