after this book

by E. A. Bourland

brothers and sisters
what do you make of the panegyrics
shat on the backs of
books these days?

do you feel embarrassed
to lift in public
a book purpled with praise
evacuated from the asses
of the author’s
equally
terrified pals?

“These are poems of a strange,
ravaged beauty.”

“These stories ring true,
so true and sonorous.”

to the best
of my
ability
the book you are
reading
is as true as
my memory

it’s sonorous
as cocksuckers in hell

I don’t
have
pals
scared enough
to praise a thing
for payment . . .

never mind

look at you

how beautiful you are

you should
drop
this stupid book

go gamble or
fuck

you look great

in that suit

that dress