swifts  &  s l o w s · a quarterly of crisscrossings

the answer absorbed
R. D. King

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The Thing Was (a)

Then about then—according to this
that then area around among this

was about an again. Again then around
assumed already had assumed the this

after this—again, assumed—then this
around assumed an although, as this

this again; and the thing was—an applied
assumed as if that was the thing is. . . .

Periodic fluctuations: the ago was also
what was around and according. About

answer was away, as the ago was around
that area also. Ask again around this—ago

the answer absorbed.

The Thing Was (e)

Early egress enriched each episode of
everlasting enhancement, echoing the

endearing error of endless existence—
eventually ectopic. Easy efforts to end

that which exists as entitled, enthralled,
extravagant, edge toward the exemplary

and thus, exceptional as enterprise. Egads!
The thing was. . . evolution, extinction,

mutation, self-extinction, egregious
extrapolation: ask your enemy: does it

really endure? We could exfoliate and
call it envy. Or we could excise excess

and enliven the endgame.

The Thing Was (i)

A period of time there was when. . .
I was it. Then I was not it. It was

inarticulate. It was idiosyncratic.
It was impractical, itchy, itemized

beyond interest, issued without
investment. It was itself, aggrandized

beyond it, beyond instead, beyond
include. The thing was—it was soon

invalid. It began ingenuous but lacked
iteration. It was quickly ignored. Time

adapts to any itinerary and holds its tongue.
You can it all you want. It does not improve.

It goes null.

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R. D. King is a Northern California poet and digital artist.