bestiary

By Chris Van Buren

[accompanying audio--click here]

the Snake is a
question mark,
that in its biblical
unproportions— lisps
calls even this into doubt?

*

“how original!� sin
sneaks into our conversation
which (one might add
[from O.Fr. then L. conversationem
“state of living together� lit. “turn about with,�

versus is verus with a snake in the middle

synon,imical for “sexual intercourse� from at least 1511
clothed itself in “talk� around 1580.
was ashamed, was ashamed…

hence—criminal conversation,

*

and this has been a time,ly arabesque
that does not exit off stage left,
a never ending entr’acte…

*

an apple
punctuates
its arc?