Forecasts: Gleaming
art by Susan Pollet
by Karen Holman
1. Twilight Phenomenon
Exhaust veils—conspiring theories,
jellyfish, sunlit from under
earth’s shadow. It’s nightfall,
we observe.
We, shadow, the future,
noctilucent. Any hovering
beautiful when lit.
Eros [ion] . Re-curse-ion. Et-
urn-al return return return. Curse
[ive.] We, us, our: the noctilucent. Day?
It is coming. It is passed.
Last glimpses:
observer’s l’atitude,
l’acrimony,
L’anguish
2. Staggering Shit Storm
Newsfeed: migraine aura. Locust murmuration. Dust bowl.
Vitreous gel detachment: retinal tears, lightning. My detachment.
Wake at drift off: I think I’m drowning. That underseasleep
continent lost. Sky rosy as muzak. Muzak as irony. Bits of irony
coalesce dotty like locust shadows, crowding the sky. Where is
my etch-a-sketch? Every dot connected. Windy curls at bird’s
eye, like song. Swirls. The hard part is how wings itch air. The
hard part is the premonition. The hard part is vorticity’s eye. The
hard part is you are no longer in it. It is in you. Flecked. Spit
spray. Split shift. Script scree. The chandelier of it. The shingles.
The jitters. The flickers freckle, flicking flocks flocked with spit,
flung clutter sputter sting. The the of it. The of of it: coercion.
Persuasion, as if the innocent never confess. Even under duress.
And I’m sorry. About everything
Karen Holman is a collagist, activist and advocate/community worker. Her poetry has aired on NPR, and frames an oratorio which premiered in Houston. She’s a five-time Pushcart nominee. She’s served on several literary magazines, has an MFA in poetry from the University of Iowa and an MS in Counseling from California State University. Her writing and performances have featured in several Michigan literary and theater productions, and poetry/collage was shown recently at Dzanc Gallery in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Her writing appears in Black Sun, DIAGRAM, Posit, MAYDAY, Salamander, Puerto del Sol, RHINO and Interim among others. She wants people to continue to kindly help each other, please. It’s hard out there.
Susan L. Pollet is a visual artist and author whose works have appeared in many art shows and literary publications. She studied at the New York Art Students League, and resides in NYC. She can be found at susanpollet.com and susanpollet.substack.com. Read Susan's full bio here.
