The Poetry of
Michael G. Khmelnitsky

it's late
Cappelbaum reaches
into the past and holds open

that door  what
will his young self make

will his hand reach
for the bone brush
or will a flower

break its ground
spring at his feet

no


Cappelbaum can make anything
so he builds a bomb

here at the top
he will hang a bulb
to eliminate the proceedings

(later he'll wire it
in to the device

there he'll place
the delicate
time mechanism

so


everything is accounted for
the fuse
the detonator

here Cappelbaum weaves
into the wires red
and green
  1. death of a salesman
  2. mystery whim
  3. yellow caps (cups
  4. terminatrix in red pumps
  5. a late start

and


for good measure
of pleasure

in
tangles Cappelbaum
his beating heart

oh how it blacks
how it blues

BUM
       BUM
   BUM

then


Cappelbaum
resolute and
                   steadfast

keys in the code
to prevent the blast

the


year ninety three
Cappelbaum holds his
coat tight

heads for the bus
where he

breathes ever quicker
a fever brewing
slow and cautious

a man leaves
a man approaches

a


secret figure
speaks of measures

artaud whispers in
Cappelbaum's ear
  they will torture you
  my friend

Cappelbaum turns
Cappelbaum shouts

a man screaming
is not
a dancing bear

it


all goes terribly red
and then
terribly white

Cappelbaum
thinks

goodbye pork pie hat
lubricate  clean
and prevent rust

and a dog  mangy and pure
bathing in dust