‘is what it seems’ (Kevin Beasley)

Wikipedia Poem, No. 884

Kevin Beasley, “Reunion” (2018), detail, now on view at the Whitney

is what it seems
designer british
stamps her stamp
panache textures
colors material
japan paris spring
artistic pain
paying homage
color direct material
texture wing
influence white
cutting kimonos infuse
graphic diagonal cuts
infuse strength
touch of glossy leather
and love
power grown
of pronounced shine
refined aplomb
celebration of shine
generous batwing accents
so elevated to
sophistication
sleek stirrup pants
level sidewalk
level day
level masterful coat
swashbuckling springs
an innate sense of line
deep dapper dramatically
cascading mix of black
striking bonded lace
juxtapositions crystal
crepe de chine
double-faced green
line of cashmere figuration

Really Big Beach

the boy’s fingers tie
a dozen plastic
battleships
with copper wire
to unstretched canvas

anselm kiefer
mistakes
monet’s grainstack for
pure painting

tell the story
of colin powell
at the united nations
advocate of war
in 2003 his staff
covers guernica
with a curtain
atlantic blue

anselm kiefer
purchases
the mülheim-kärlich
nuclear reactor

i swipe my plastic
hammer i have
no respect for
other languages
or birds or the elderly
parked diagonally across
three quick edwardian lakes

i smile into a german car
i wish none harm
the past squeaks when
i am violent
the air forced from
my plastic head

i implore you
save yourself please
please i can’t
do it for you
i won’t