Man Roulette

What booth is this? The last was a plastic gallows.

In the teach me to kiss booth, you paid your dollar

to promote, when prompted, a theory. Advised me about

standing close and touching him who might next enter

in such a way that draws contrast, rough and smooth,

cool and warm, maybe the heel of the hand and thumb

at the neck if the collar is open and the fingertips two

three four, but never anything about the mouth, and then

it was time. I back exited through the heavy drapes

and opened shop next door.

What booth is this?

In this booth I have rescued a dovekie but it will not eat.

As the tub fills I need you (tore your ticket, right?)

to surrender two of the goldfish from this bag. I’ll be

back in a minute. The last of the sun is pinkening

the ridge beyond the fairgrounds, and I’d like to see.

What booth is this? Keep moving everyone.

Careful of the gourds; they’re pursing. I’ve handed over

the last admission I can afford. Into this booth the branch

of a bean tree descends and in an eventuality

brought on by what yet I cannot say the armlong pods

burst with pellet shot pressure and release seeds like these

embedded in the board behind you. The next booth

is one I have to man for someone. An emergency. I’ll

meet you there.

Is this even a booth? In this booth there is

room for one. Get in here and hold me up.

I would fall without you. Why are we not told plainly?

What good as a booth is this, what booth if it be one?

Feel the first drop, as from a shearwater ocean bird held high

for miles on the cyclonic air, blown far inland, never

otherwise seen. The barometer is bottoming. This booth of

ours is an eye of the storm simulation.

Source: A Several World (Nightboat Books, 2014)