C1: Atlas

Below the ceiling or keel
of the skull (depending
on the body’s orientation towards
instrument of injury) the spine emerges
as rectitude and rectory, a basal frame
extruded to span from the ego’s reach
to the soles’ foundation. Historically,
recovery from a fracture here indicates
reinforcement with titanium
and may present sequelae stemming
from inversion about the axis of pride
to the head’s decline through diminishing degrees
of freedom. In some case, the eyes persuade the shoulders
to confuse the burden of the world above
with the body’s weight. In the literature,
the efforts of foreign tongues
to approximate the vantage that English
has long enjoyed from its origination of skyscraper
support conclusive evidence of suffering
as cultural inscription.

C2: Axis

Even if sleep is death’s diminutive
we will not concede it could maim,
though for some the hanging
moment that opens between waking
life and the descent towards morning
whispers a terminating sentence.
And when sleep looms
draped in gallows’ humor
to suspend the spine,
in the night we grow taller,
nodding, already unconscious
of the boots dropped on the floor
in the evening prior
and the greater distance to fall
as we follow them.