The Author Function

The Author Function

—for Louis Zukofsky

“Je est un autre”

—Arthur Rimbaud

Letter to Izambard

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The surreal slippage

Of authorless control

While dreaming dreams

Tres Rimbaud-esque—

As if we were being dreamed

Rather than dreaming

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One can see why

Andre Breton & all the

Surrealists were perplexed

Their inability to—

Accept “I-am-other”

Je est un autre

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The poet does both—

Dreaming & being dreamed

Simultaneously one

A demystified kid—

Communard as well

As constructionist dude

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Encrapsulation—

Of the crucifix by

Delinquent messiah

Rimbaud as priestly—

Pimp giving his flesh

To the holy pedophile

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Miss Verlaine down on—

His Communion knees

The Cum of Passion

The vaguely immodest boy—

With skimpy loin-cloth

Holy night in the Latrine

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Adolescent voyant—

Jizzy juvenile delinquent

Obdurate objectivist

What Zukofsky did—

With Catullus I will do

With Arthur Rimbaud