So this is a piece that's also in the new book.
And it's also going to be in an anthology from the Boston
Review about surveillance, poems about surveillance.
So this is something else I did in public to write a poem.
The ritual is titled "Security Cameras and Flowers
Dreaming the Elevation Allegiance" for Susie Timmons.
"From Walnut & Broad St. to Walnut & 19th,
I stopped for every security camera.
Philadelphia watches us always, Fuck you watching us always.
Several cameras in one block, I took notes.
It was noon.
It was 12:00, just as I wanted it to be.
I took notes for the poem, notes, notes, notes.
A little basket of edible flowers, nasturtiums, roses,
pansies, I eat pansies.
I love pansies.
They're delicious buttery purple lettuce.
At each security camera I paused, looked into the camera,
directly in there, and stuck my tongue inside a flower.
Flicked it in and out, in and out,
flicking, licking, suckling, blossoms.
A security guard came out and asked
what the fuck are you doing?
I replied, 'I'm a pollinator, I'm a pollinator!'
I allowed myself to say only this
for the duration of the security camera pollination application.
'I'm a pollinator.
I'm a pollinator!'
I took many notes, and the notes became a poem titled,
'I Want to do Everything Wrong Just Once.'"
"I Want to do Everything Wrong Just Once."
"Suddenly we are a daisy under the big wheel.
Throw it out to the batter; leave it up to the outfield.
The umpire sees how I divide you from me.
You have no choice over the weak notes in the song.
You think I'm afraid?
Of course I am; I'm disgusted chopping us in two.
Will it help to kill the one who hypnotizes you?
We can try, we can always try.
Betting on the better part of quaking,
we cap the balding yard with angel wings,
ancient astronauts, a poetic acuity
we have been waiting to carry us away forever.
To survive I stayed away from people who wanted to kill me.
That's the big secret.
Let them jam it in the back of your mouth, just a quick police
search."