This poem is part of the SPOONFEED takeover of New Writing, curated by Kat Payne Ware and Sean Wai Keung. You can read the issue in full at spoonfeedmag.com/spoonfeed-x-new-writing
Banana, abandon your discretion
…………softly now, pulpify
…………we’re waiting to be shamed
Mango, golden noisy oval you
…………be what you are
…………lamp, heavy as infant heads
…………your shadow, throw
those Lentil conspirators huddling
…………where are your sympathies?
…………among fingers gently mingle,
…………Cashew becomes you
even the Mushroom has gills
…………worshipful fold, precious stranger
…………mimics the ear, shrinks
and dumb brain of Walnut
…………crumpled, runnelled thing, knocking
…………divulge your little darkness
…………to us, a larger dark
now Squash, relinquish
…………embrace the form
…………of small cubes departing
…………one another
…………………………………chop, chop!
…………broil our irreversible broil
…………pattern of the world’s sore unwinding
here Bordeaux bamboozles us,
…………unbinds us with its swill
…………of busy ghosts simmering
…………be a loving devil
…………be a ruby ring, sing
……………………………………the vine of home, o –
when my friend she broke her confidence,
……………………………………like a bird from the hedge in May
indelicate an ornate bone departed from her cheek
savage + weightless
…………………..there was left over from
…………………………………when a little lie < in a small room <
a crochet hook. and declining,
…………………………………………..could not blink, could not eat
was almost
now, say
…………if rind then nail
…………if nail then the molluscs of her eyes
say
…………if pip then thumb
…………if peel, surprise
say
…………if wet then sweeten
…………if thumb then eyes
…………then the reddened rind of her tongue
say
…………if flesh then eyes
…………if mollusc then thorn
…………if friend then sweeten
say
…………if friend then sweeten
……………………………………………..her
…………ever-falling chiffonade
…………of sanguine, tart, voila!
…………abandon your discretion
…………softly ,
…………we’re waiting
…………golden noisy you
…………….what you are
…………a heavy infant head
…………your shadow,
those cons huddling
…………where are you ?
……………………………..gently
……………………becomes you
even the room has gills
……………………ful fold, precious stranger
…………mimics the ear, shrinks
a dumb brain
…………crumpled, runnelled , knocking
…………divulge little
…………to us, a larger
now relinquish
…………embrace the form
…………of departing
……………………………………….. chop!
…………………our revers
…………pattern the sore wind
here bamboozles us,
…………unbinds us with its will
……………..us ghosts simmering
…………be a devil
…………be a rub
………………………………………………of home, o –
when my friend she broke ,
……………………………………. like a bird a
delicate ornate one her cheek
savage + less
…………………….there was left over
……………………………………………………………………..a little lie <
a crochet hook a declining,
………………………………………….could not blink, could not eat
was almost
o
…………rind then nail
…………nail then the molluscs of her eyes
…………pip then thumb
…………peel,
…………wet then sweeten
…………thumb then eyes
………then the reddened rind of her tongue
…………flesh then
…………mollusc then thorn
……………………then
…………friend then sweet
…………ever-falling
…………o !
…………abandon your
…………softly
…………………..ing
…………………noisy
…………what you are
……..a heavy infant
those huddling
………………are ?
……………………………….gently
even the
……………..fold ious stranger
…………….the ear, shrinks
a dumb
…………………….nelled knocking
…………to us
…………………relinquish
……………………..the form
…………of departing
………………….revers
…………pattern
……………………..boo
…………………..us
……………us ghosts
…………be a
…………be a
………………………………………………………..me, o –
when my friend she broke ,
……………………………………………like
………………….an ornate cheek
savage +
………………………………………….left over
…………………………………………………………………………………….<
a hook a declining,
………………………………………….could not , could not eat
was
…………rind then nail
………………..then the molluscs of her eyes
………………..then thumb
………………..then
………………….then eyes
…………then the reddened rind of her tongue
…………flesh then
…………mollusc then thorn
………if friend then sweeten
…………………then
………ever-
………..abandon
………………….ing
…………..what you
…………………………….infant
…………where
……………………………..gently
even the
………………………………………….stranger
……………………………….shrinks
…………to us
………………………….ish
………………………………depart
………..pattern
……………………………..o
……………………..us
………………us o
……………..a
……………..a
when my friend she o
………………………………………………like
……………………..an ornate
savage
……………………………………………………..over
a hook declining,
………………………………………………………………..could eat
……….rind nail
…………………………..molluscs eyes
…………then thumb
…………then
……………………………………….her tongue
…………..then
……………….then
………………then