s w i f t s  &  s l o w s: a quarterly of crisscrossings

Neighbours
Kathleen Reichelt

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our likeness ability to reply say we’re fine say lots of things in language we understand from habit demand. repetitions beliefs conditions conditional signed on invisible lines gravity stringed around our necks pulling us through the porthole of agreement attracting what we know what we grow up in grow sideways lean into the likeness next door. covering extremities our costumes testing weather patterns repeat what someone else said rearranging words into delicate holders of flowers seeking vanity reflecting value what is fair who are we to care for those who disagree who want to change me rearrange me govern me reject me

connect relate debate rename explain me hand me over pass me under adjust pose sit stand order me demand me obey. formula for sadists to advantage their fortunes fortressing pacifist opposition applications congregations any position on the spectrum ordering bodies that don’t belong to anyone. bodies that are not free. and who is to say what we should be like? insert computer chip into upper lip speak the language of future forget the past with delete repeat do I have autonomy? do we challenge what is free?

abandoned books written by dead lull in the conversation while digitalization squeezes softness from our necks pulls our eyes until we are all spies. censoring quietly hush hush ushering in our new masters we slaved hours to buy. water boils slow we can’t know resistance unless we insist ourselves out of uniform reject rulers fascists who have multiplied moving under our hidden lines right here in our hands right next door

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Kathleen Reichelt  is a visual artist, performer and word arranger who runs an artist residency in the 1000 Islands, Canada. Her writing has been published in Otoliths, Arteidolia, Bone Bonquet, and is forthcoming in the 2018 anthology by great weather for MEDIA, NYC. The artist’s visual art has been published in three editions of the Dada journal Maintenant, Three Rooms Press, Brooklyn, and included in exhibitions internationally.