Elinor Nauen

6. Laundry

What’s the calm response to my clothes still cool & damp?

= Put in another quarter

It’s not a nickelodeon. It’s not for pleasure. It’s not an El Camino. It’s not LSD.

And here’s the lady who yelled at me.

= Ignore her. It’ll be over in 8 minutes.

That’s what he said.

Tonight I’ll sleep. Things are blurry. It’s not a gospel plow, it’s not even a little knife.  Read More 

5. I Can’t Have Enough

the invisible elm
that’s impossible
to miss

a tall man & a short man
a woman in a gold dress & church hat
dogs – hipster glasses – dogs –

skinny well-dressed young folk – dogs

Dante’s Inferno & I miss Eileen –
wherever she is

that’s the center

might be roses, woodpeckers, pedophiles
what’s for dinner, billy boy?
 Read More 

4. I Can’t Have Thoughts

I can only try to keep my loved ones alive
& sit outside on a summer bench
& be amazed at knowing so many people
with darkling eyes

The plane that didn’t crash & the one that did.

3. The Girl Who Wouldn’t Say

Is that where you’re from?

Curt wave:
I’m here now.

Where do you live?

Here, here’s my stuff.

I gave away 50 kilos of beautiful dresses & a bicycle

2. Running into Elroy

when I stopped to say hi to Marvin
& Elroy with bike tricked out for Father’s Day
walked me a block
where we ran into Jack
who recognized Elroy from the neighborhood
but mostly wanted to ask about Maggie
& I took pictures of
Elroy smiling & Elroy soulful
& sat on a bench & read Read More 

1. Where We Are Now


here every day
where we are now

with Chaucer

falling
a little
asleep—

all couples are interracial

tree of pink
girls in short frocks