——————-after Carrie Lorig

There the pain dropping like
cattle. Thousands of cattle
mooing—AIN’T THIS A BARREN
LAND. The land’s heart jumps.
The land’s heart can’t pump
the blood. The grass has begun
suffocating itself. The factory
Is on fire for no good reason.
There The Laughter stood up
to exist, but the grass was already
dead. The cattle up to their necks.
The throat this whole time ungargled
watching the suffering. The suffering
on fire for no good reason.

*

Tyler Gobble is lead editor of Stoked, associate editor of the Magic Helicopter Press team, and a contributor with Vouched Books. He is the author of four chapbooks, most recently 48 Pornos (Safety Third Enterprises, 2013). More at www.tylergobble.com.