Mark Bolsover
the fish. ...
in the … shallows. ((swamp(s). pools).
(strange (dim-twi-) (washed) light-lit. … --miles. ‘v low ground (flat(s)). … … ).
river(s). (narrow(-thin) (channels – canal(s)), in-through the shallows-swamps-flats (ground)). …
(—so (very) deep (down.—f’ miles. (int’ dark-pitch-ink dark (depths) (blue-black), (freezing) cold). … ).
(and into(-in-through) the caves (cavern(ed). (--over. … ). (—the entry(ance) ‘v-to. (th’ mouths (‘v)). … ).
(rock, dark (rough),—arches over). …
…
fish.
( … --huge. …
--long. (whale. (grey)).—snake(ing) long ((pale) pink, ‘n’ grey) (the) body. (long). …
(ribbed, … ‘n’ muscled-veined (sinews-veins (see). … ).
--slick (suh-lick). (shine – glistens). (shark).
--blunt (buh-lunt). (flat) head. (smooth). small black eyes (bead). (—set back). … ).).
moves. (fr’m (out) the caves’ (entrance-mouth)).
( … rise(s), ‘n’ fall (waves-snakes). (huge). … ).
(—in the boat. (row). (small). … ).
…
she's down there. (in the dark. (black). ice. cold. (flashes (lightning – sparks). ‘v deep blue – white ‘lectric light). … ).
(—she reaches up. (arms).—a look of terror (pleading). (see). … ).
--She’s not coming back. (now). (she says).
(down.—in the cold shadow).
You know that.
…
—You have to do it. …
…
… —pour th’explosive (—white powder (dust-grit)).
—down.—int’ the whirlpool (small-narrow-thin) – (gravity’s) well.
(--spirals. down (th’ well). (—‘lumines-(out)lines). … —int’ (down) the dark(ness). … ).
‘n’ light it. (now).
(—lighter. (silver. Zippo). … —rub the wheel (strike) – push the button.
--sparks. (flint). … ).
‘n’ burns. … —(runs-)running. down (the spiral-well).
(burns out th’ white powder. … ).
and explodes. (down. in(t’) the darkness. (‘lectric dark-blue (pulse-burst) ‘v light, and bubbles (gas-‘xpand) (silver-white). … ).
(—t’ destroy the fish(monsters). … ).
( … —killed. … ‘n’ we pass(past). the shallows (…)—int’ the caves.
(we’re the first). … ).
…
--round the back(s) (th’ depths) ‘v the caves. …
—‘long (tall – smooth-sided. (dark, narrow channel(s)) the canal – rapids.
(the first t’ see – ride. … ).
…
and out.
…
(in-) ont’ the river. …
(--broad. gentle-still. … shallow.
—trees (huge) ( – wood-forest), and grass,—line the banks. …
(daylight).
… ).
…
(strange (dim-twi-) (washed) light-lit. … --miles. ‘v low ground (flat(s)). … … ).
river(s). (narrow(-thin) (channels – canal(s)), in-through the shallows-swamps-flats (ground)). …
(—so (very) deep (down.—f’ miles. (int’ dark-pitch-ink dark (depths) (blue-black), (freezing) cold). … ).
(and into(-in-through) the caves (cavern(ed). (--over. … ). (—the entry(ance) ‘v-to. (th’ mouths (‘v)). … ).
(rock, dark (rough),—arches over). …
…
fish.
( … --huge. …
--long. (whale. (grey)).—snake(ing) long ((pale) pink, ‘n’ grey) (the) body. (long). …
(ribbed, … ‘n’ muscled-veined (sinews-veins (see). … ).
--slick (suh-lick). (shine – glistens). (shark).
--blunt (buh-lunt). (flat) head. (smooth). small black eyes (bead). (—set back). … ).).
moves. (fr’m (out) the caves’ (entrance-mouth)).
( … rise(s), ‘n’ fall (waves-snakes). (huge). … ).
(—in the boat. (row). (small). … ).
…
she's down there. (in the dark. (black). ice. cold. (flashes (lightning – sparks). ‘v deep blue – white ‘lectric light). … ).
(—she reaches up. (arms).—a look of terror (pleading). (see). … ).
--She’s not coming back. (now). (she says).
(down.—in the cold shadow).
You know that.
…
—You have to do it. …
…
… —pour th’explosive (—white powder (dust-grit)).
—down.—int’ the whirlpool (small-narrow-thin) – (gravity’s) well.
(--spirals. down (th’ well). (—‘lumines-(out)lines). … —int’ (down) the dark(ness). … ).
‘n’ light it. (now).
(—lighter. (silver. Zippo). … —rub the wheel (strike) – push the button.
--sparks. (flint). … ).
‘n’ burns. … —(runs-)running. down (the spiral-well).
(burns out th’ white powder. … ).
and explodes. (down. in(t’) the darkness. (‘lectric dark-blue (pulse-burst) ‘v light, and bubbles (gas-‘xpand) (silver-white). … ).
(—t’ destroy the fish(monsters). … ).
( … —killed. … ‘n’ we pass(past). the shallows (…)—int’ the caves.
(we’re the first). … ).
…
--round the back(s) (th’ depths) ‘v the caves. …
—‘long (tall – smooth-sided. (dark, narrow channel(s)) the canal – rapids.
(the first t’ see – ride. … ).
…
and out.
…
(in-) ont’ the river. …
(--broad. gentle-still. … shallow.
—trees (huge) ( – wood-forest), and grass,—line the banks. …
(daylight).
… ).
…
Biography
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Mark Bolsover has short experimental prose-poetry published, and forthcoming, in a number of international literary magazines. His debut Chapbook, IN FAILURE & IN RUINS—dreams & fragments, is published with Into the Void Press (Dublin & Toronto), and his first full collection, contra FLUX.—moments caught (arrested) whilst in-from motion., is published with Polyversity Press (Graz/London). @mdbolsover
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