“the clocks we lock” by Dennis Cooley

August 12, 2024

Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “the clocks we lock” by Dennis Cooley. Due to its formatting, this poem is only available as an image.

the clocks we lock

By Dennis Cooley

and choke in the bones click and lock in the pins time stumbles inside the stomach the voices knock the horses talk pockplock over the morning where it shines the tobacco breath darkens the ribs way up the stairway the room booms and bangs the door slams shut the stove rattles the kitchen the room breathes hard grampa's cough passes through the oil-slow darkness grampa's fingerbones are the knuckles on caraganas the bones cast their chalk against the wall onto the floor all night long they shake into the hallway the shadows hang onto the wall the air strains with listening

Copyright © Dennis Cooley

First appeared in Poetry Pause on November 17, 2020.

Dennis Cooley grew up in Saskatchewan. Active as poet, editor, publisher, teacher in Winnipeg for many years. Three new titles in 2020: the muse sings, coldpress moon, the bestiary. A collaborative book, the gibbous moon, forthcoming. A new manuscript, body works, in submission.

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