magnificat by luis neer

​            i.
 
the soul magnifies god
as i pour water on the ground
in the year of the wolf
 
one two three four
moon circle moon
 
the surface
the surface of everything i know is a dream--
 
i dream that my grandfather
is healthy again,
 
living alone on a grassy mountain
in a tiny shack
 
with an outhouse and
hot springs
where he swims everyday
 
he doesn’t have any friends
but he keeps journals
and waters flowers in pots
on a small windowsill
 
a black streak across the sky
like a question
 
and his voice cracks
and the plants depend on balance
in different forms
 
when i rub a red petal
with my thumb and forefinger
my grandfather quietly scolds me
 
holding a pen
his hand cured of parkinsons
 
he has learned to be merciful
 
[he has learned to live delicately,
walking among flowers]
 
the surface
the surface of everything i know is a dream
 
so i write my poem with
shaking hands
 
i try to turn my pen into swords
 
spinning globes
in a room
 
walking in a straight line
aligned with the moon
and a broken sidewalk
necklace
 
monsters in sewers
 
switchblade rain and tears
 
 
            ii.
 
i have not learned
to manipulate sound [teach me]
 
i do my best
 
a mental photograph
 
smile
 
i am flooded with caterwaul
[touch me]
 
please love me
i am trying not to get loved
 
the light inside the eyes
is a firewall of crystals
 
crystals crystals
 
crystals on a concrete line

✱✱✱

---

Luis Neer [b. 1998] is the author of multiple books of poetry, including the chapbooks Autobiography (Bottlecap Press, March 2016) and untitled (Ghost City Press, June 2016). Their first full-length collection, Extinction, is due out from Sad Spell Press in December. They live in West Virginia. Find them on twitter and tumblr.