Two poems, by Joshua Martin

 

Adjusted situational precariousness remains vivid

[implied]
…bloodiest histories reach decisions
          …imperial historiographies
              accepted discouraged
              framework…
[alcohol failed dissenters].

   Material stresses shift
   negotiated confessions 

leaping colleges streamed
into conspiracies behind
obvious grammar school
militancy on a mission
to extirpate diligence
          /          / Once
status reached influence
subjects reconciled a
form of surplus     / 

            reduced
long                     term
         population        victory
< 
     contracts
                   > economic
abilities to local
                          defiance. 

[vessels] [northwards]
        [maim]
                [reductive
          irrationality
                            ]. Colonial
in scope – three scoops
ranging circumventing
missionaries rampaging. 

[broadband crusade]
…critical surrender
    under the walls
    later surviving
    discarded uprising…
/
[combined but actual]
reinforcements manifested
as blockade
                   distressed
                           possessed
[summed up] 

entailing a degree of
general sedition 

                 operating out of
                 inevitable conflict.

 

 

 

To crypt explorers
 

waters build
experiences
[…]
coins as digital
as monthly
ventures increasing
focus on captives
[///]
the attention of
hybrid briefings                     ,

subtle infrared
regulatory lists
                     ,
challenges
          insights
perspective
          stigmata
[,,,]
hippo holding astute
wetlands
/
outdated
          impacted
                     aligned
/
masthead
foundational
          descriptive
crisis proposed
          motel
related shoes
          paced
notoriously
          allocated
transparent
          puncture
villainous
          milestones
[;;;]
across virtually
accelerating poverty
formless coverage
ready causation
[:::]
          going forward
no imminent
          potential
clear & present
          hardened
hacking fire
          warehouse
[???]
                     captive
          owners
wander                              pinnacle
                     alternative
          flesh
test               risk
          disillusion
                               [.] 

 

 

Joshua Martin is a Philadelphia based writer and filmmaker, who currently works in a library. He is a member of C22, an experimental writing collective. He is the author most recently of the books punctuated avalanche (Stone Corpse Press) and en=raptur=ed [riverrun] & mingle (Ranger Press) He has had numerous pieces published in various journals. You can find links to his published work at joshuamartinwriting.blogspot.com