Issue #8 - Chris Tonelli

“and even you forgot those brilliant flashes seen from afar” -Ruth Stone

Chris Tonelli

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+                                        the object
-                                        is an obstacle
+                                        life
+                                        not a yard sale
+                                        the separation of merch
-                                        and estate
-                                        the commodification
+                                        of experience
+                                        the poetics
-                                        of capitalism
-                                        whatever
+                                        no matter
-                                        what
-                                        get all your nouns in there
+                                        they’re special
+                                        just because you double down
-                                        doesn’t mean you’re not shitty

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-                                        the difference between
+                                        burning out and
+                                        fading away is
+                                        negligible
-                                        within the
+                                        margin of error
-                                        beginnings are
+                                        easy to see
+                                        endings
-                                        to lose
-                                        we put a
+                                        real tree
+                                        inside our house
+                                        they put our house
-                                        inside a real
+                                        forest
+                                        none of us
-                                        are staying
+                                        not
-                                        a thing
-                                        not a
+                                        narrative or ritual
-                                        our desire
+                                        is the only
+                                        arrival
-                                        anyone else
-                                        want to invent
+                                        a new holiday

Chris Tonelli is the author of five chapbooks and two full-length poetry collections, most recently Whatever Stasis from Barrelhouse Books.