Paul Blackburn

 

The Uses of the Eye

by Paul Blackburn

When the door of the next truck is open
it reads toward the cab

—Z E N T A B L E S, the black dog
leaps on the man in pure
friendliness—he only wants to leave. .
8 seats to a table
except one side of one table, only 3
the cigarette machine sits
makes its change
6 tables then
seating 47 deathsheads, the luncheon hour . Packed , a man
with a 100 lb. sack of cement walks past . The Modern World e-
merges
/
124 Warren Street, sayeth the truckside
—Z E N T A B L E S—

The truck door closes
Driver climbs in : ,
The truck departs .
The hot cat

heads toward the door tail up, the black dog barks, the first of the

7 white dogs I .
meet on this mountain
greets me
'mid a rain of pebbles & dirt .

"—and the an-gels sing,

& leave

their singing

ringing in

my

ears ."

[1963/1965]