Timothy Lavenz: climb

intervention by Bacco Artolini on “Self-portrait” Albrecht Durer ( 1498)

CLIMB

Redrawn in by tiniest

sonic ligature

to t he snippet – joint raid,

triggers autotrack layer

of a corpse proceeding

towerward, hurried

with a sense of martyr’s blame.

Imprisoned air, un-

prismed,, the silent imposter

dar es a livid defe nse up there:

you weigh it in dust-

plated scales, growing tired.

For the awareness is heavy,

the danger too rare.

None notice the gutterline

stuffed with old gray hair

or the bricks chipped

by inclement millennia’s wear.

Notice the confines lacking

interiors, the care

at couplings’ every interval.

An outward-bound dream, yes,

that would repair everything,

but justice—in whose ear??—

snares the confession ill-stated.

The puzzlelid drops

into the well. A plea

leaps into throats

of claribells. Time-

swallower syllable at last,

glee-sunken gladiator,

rues the verse-jail

in consent.