!!

LIFT & OTHER NOISE A U S T I N I S L A M

!!!!!!!!!!!

!2nd edition 2014

1st edition 2012

!copyright © 2012 by austin islam all rights reserved & shit !!__________________________________________________ published by

S L A M D A N C E X X X X facebook . com / slamdance4x slamdancexxxx . storenvy . com

!

�

abt the author austin islam / b. june 1991 / dallas, tx

?? self-published chapbooks since ???? 2012 : ‘slam dance open-mic’ livestreams

2013 : ‘spacedads’ curated livestreams 2014 : slam dance xxxx

[ zine & screen micropress ] !facebook / tumblr / twitter / instagram

@austincharcoal !

!

� a c k n o w l e d g m e n t s

big homie steve roggenbuck, spreecast dot com, tumblr notes, muumuu house, facebook dot com, paypal, sean & tracey, schwinn, keeks crosby ily

alt lit gossip (spread) fam, best western & lake worth tx, kimberly (‘sorry’), dcta/dart/

trinityrailwayexpress, macbook semipro & every friend i’ve made since summer 2012 who

stayed up late nights chatting trading poems stories books drawings packages advice & love

!!

!

!there are days that get swallowed by fog . the days have seized this calendar .american hours are falling back &these rivers speed like highways .

it is not difficult to love

or damage a pure heartit is much

more difficult to leave it be

so it may grow its roots

into the soil & drink water

‘ xh ’ freefalling, freewheeling

soaking & peeling bowing & kneeling down !

knowledge is power the thoughts in the shower

the coins taking naps on the ground

!my true love lay me down on planes where ego is irrelevant _______________________ !

�

!!!wouldn’t want to wash up

out like u did ashing mouthfuls along dirtroads

keeping busy in a ditch-bowl i rather fancy fencing

with these oldest friends rugdown in their living room , sorting thru my solitude

w stacks of books & tapes

!!UP UR PUNXXXX .

!in my heart i'm in these streets w love for riffs above all ends the grid nods out in ecstasy in dark hoarse voices blissed-out men who slam & dance away from sleep by happenstance, thru atrophy all gang up screaming at the beat up them! up us! up vocal we! !w newfound brothers one lost song !as house lights come up w the dawn so longing night disintegrates single -cupped i pick up change styrofoam my dinnermate coffee bought piano songs vocals hoarse & running late mimicked shapes of power chords soak in diesel nappy shakes broken edge w open doors

‘xXx’

doubled over toilet with 1 clotheshanger breath !2 too many 3. a sort of foreign sensitivity !dubbed over 4 tracks soundboard bong rip !1 2 get 3 the day, a 4th just for the hell !

I & I agree 5 am. sleeping somnambulance ride the sun rising movement of hands brewing stan getz lucky smells on cable television lands but still not forgetting about all my fears letting out pop-punk bands bamboo mats sticky flat in the heart of downtown fuck the policemans ¶ made a point not to call me me in the presence of the other free not to singulate one letter moved with sudden intake breathe the one rastas bake on open fire isolating topes and trees but I & I cannot hold back on rare occasions when both of us agree !

� !on a twisting failing airplane eating acid hits off the seat ahead in business class w a gin & tonic watching jurassic park: the lost world my eyes spun like whirring tops. the sound was a song we couldn’t write with our hands and then i saw it —you and i were diamonds on a vast bumpless beach that extended forward eonstwo of a handful few, invisible to the sand around us

(and then we found $20)

!!i n t h e ☈

b a s e m e n t p c ☈ u n d e r a ☈

m o u n t a i n o f ☈ d u s t a n d ☈

e y e b r o w f r a g m e n t s ☈ o n a ☈

h a r d d r i v e ☈ t r a n s p l a n t e d f r o m ☈

t h r e e g e n e r a t i o n s ( a g o ) ☈ t h e r e e x i s t s ☈

a ( l o v e ) n o t e ☈ I w r o t e ☈

y o u w h e n ☈ I w a s ☈

l o o k i n g s u n n y ☈ i n t h e ☈

m i d d l e o f ☈ a t h u n d e r s t o r m ☈ t h a t s w a l l o w e d ☈

m y f a n t a s i e s ☈   !!

fox: suppose that cloud above our head which rains relentlessly !

tigress: is only our own perceived shame? I must say I agree !

fox: then ought we not to break our bread and throw it out to sea? !

tigress: no, eat your bread and drink the cup of all that lift could be

had it / took it / let it sink in !i had long been in pursuit of methods for improving !i had loved & lost touch with luck that once was soothing !i took liberties i wasn't given & hadn’t fully earned !i took it, let it sink in, & then spat on what i'd learned

� you are more than: filling spaces w sawdust writing down model numbersshocking w defibrillator opening dusty paint cans combing dog fur shredding paper into diamondsclipping fingernails reading newspaper headlines miming characters rolling blueprintsholding fire in one hand

!thumbtack pains auction off all my old real estate !

in the neighborhood club house with punch !maladies meet to divvy corporeal piecemeal !neck-cricks the first in long lines filing in !

i’m just indoors taking their coats !☐ !

migraines settle in without invites wearing nothing !before long outbidding all the others for the left eye !a scrape wound snaps up every parcel of palm flesh !cramps pool their capital for both of the hamstrings !

there goes the neighborhood, i swear, and spill punch !☐ !

ducking from view of carcinoma’s deep pockets !i let myself out to let sun toast the skin !

the rush like a flask full of liquor i’ve stolen !to match it i light one last tar cigarette !

squatting in my old healthy lungs !

{}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} wind at 30 knots blows out his stomach some small uncovered steady footing [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} enough to close the laptop boil water for soup open a box of indian spicemix [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} shaken over the pot & noodles until it turns his evening orange [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}[}[}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

!!!!! visine & sidewalk chalk !✃✃✃✃✃✃✃ ☁☁☁☁☁☁☁ your hairs choked up the show’r drain — gurgling piano-sputtered études i pulled it from nine dimensions — & gathered here the gall to tell you

☂ your looking ( lost & turned up down, in deed’s no weaker windsock ) drano-drunk t’ward sirens whirled forget the superbowl commercials let’s watch ourselves in windows watch the out - side world !

A I N ’ T N O W H O R E STARTING WEDNESDAY ( NOT ME , NOT EVER )

need ing leg s thos e hy draul ic wing s and mi ni co ral reef barr ier lip s

tear ing up my boat need ing some land in a plac e to rest my he ad that bos om

ev er y shad e of grass your eye sneed ing hear you sing you are my sun shin e a gain

fold ing in to my self dough in you r hand s a rip cord on ev er y thing i’ ve seen so far

� !

WEEKDAY WARRIOR SPITS HIS PIECE

drinking two types of liquids are the frat bros on the weeknd / ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ each outfitted with a pair of plastic cups // ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ it should be the same she said it could be a change he said / ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ just before they parted separate ways // ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸

☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ i happened to be there it happened right by somewhere / ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ selling baubles hairbrush models dolls & drugs // ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ & much of what i gathered of these matters indicates / ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ ☸ that the beauty of our youth one day decays //

!

�

don’t know what we’re waiting to

≪ only in which direction we are being pulled≫

you gotta slam like a punker or a beat— 1/2 those folks’ll think you were the worst thing all night + the other 1/2 ’ll feel you just for being off color (or maybe) dig what the hell you’re bleating about (or) snap afterwards !

W A K E J U S T A F T E R S U N B I D S A D I E U W R I T E L E T T E R S T O T H O S E E X P E C T I N G T R A D E P L E A S A N T R I E S TA K E O U T N E W S N I G H T T I M E E X C U R S I O N S D I E T C O K E C I G A R E T T E F I L T E R T E A S P O O N C O K E _ _ _ _ 1 X 1 W I S H I N G M E G O O D N I G H T & G O O D L U C K I N T H E Q U I E T S P A C E S E Y E S C L O S E D A N T I C I P A T I N G B L I S S E S O N T H E M O U T H O F T H E S A N D M A N

if there was a name for this

skinny canvascolor disease

that is eating at my stasis while

i’m watching subscription

movies i could wrap it up

refrigerate it behind the shiner

& tuna salad if there was a name for this

disease.

!

take / 52 !take off one article of clothing for showmanship !take off one more for pragmatism !& another to erase any tire tracks take off down the street into the wind

/ / / / fifty-two degrees Fahrenheit !fifty-two minutes til the working week begins !& another to straighten your tie in a mirror fifty-two years from just this moment

i was going to tell you about how bananas remind me of how we ripened how we took in the cloud covered sunbut tumblr was down and i didn’t have a chance to explain my peelingsthis was not a joke, in fact i was looking for a way to tell you about the time i had too much coffee again in fact i was looking for you in the ramen aisle even though i knew you weren’t therein fact you were even there for one tenth of a second before me and i knew it so in conclusion this never ending. so in fact i was going to wonder about who you are sleeping on in the rap worldi was going to ask you about julienning also but i couldn’t spell it to save your life i was going to ask you if i was ever mistaken for the one who would save your life because the answerin fact i was just getting to that but now that tumblr is down i think i will leave it alone. you and i are apples to oranges referendum on what we’ve changed as individuals and groups three’s a company in fact and i was going to mention corporations are peopleknowing you don’t care for tussle and nickelodeon politics. i want to eat your dinner, i meant to remind you. feed me samples and i’ll remind you of when we never gave pictures in conclusion i should have never shored up in the first placein ruins in rotten, in rolling blackouts i was ready to mention what i’ve gathered on lovebefore tumblr went down in fact i was prepping my soul to spill on your face

i’ve learned ((love unconditionally)) ((make all efforts)) ((act on love)) ((move explicitly)) ((talk is chapped)) ((/)) ((style is currency)) ((don’t take or wake for granted)) ((cherish your moment)) ((give thanks for giving thanks)) ((the future ain’t)) ((owned)) or ((owed)) or ((known))

�

truly i might not’ve retained any of that ,

may be just one of those mornings before

it all ends up forgotten by 3:30 to night