Government Funding

Translated from Russian by Alex Niemi


1
a rusted-out sedan stuck in traffic, they arrived
in droves from the rebel region to enroll, life
embittered in solid chocolate, an osteopath
found signs of pelvic dislocation in a laborer
from the mining sector, in government funding,
the inevitable bankroll of negative emotions,
siphoned for military use with third-party
government assistance, cooked up Turkish style

2
white supremacists, approaching
a migrant, don’t break a sweat slapping
your noble visage, called that old-hag baby
momma the proprietress of the paunch, get to the top
thanks to brain excision, fast-tracked
by government funding, an armored security vehicle
cut off by a station wagon, going out with bats
for a good thrashing, practically clinging to his leg

3
a shabby drone takes off from a war base
acting the false target, instantly shot down
by the powers of the Protective Ground Forces,
rebels fall around the fucked supervisory mission,
pouring rain fills the government-funded
UAV, the rocket bombardment of enemy
supply stations was memorable, the likelihood
of missing utterly low, the time has come

4
an overgrown manchild importantly spitting
his wild image, going shopping along the main
drag of city life, greedily bringing his lips
closer to the bottle to get to the bottom
of non-things, government-funded
direct shipments of liquid soap are held up
en route, caught him red-sleeved, rubbed
his nose in what he’d done, toasted to the deal

5
sucked down a liter of brown liquor
in one swig before boarding, the microflora
turned out badly by all accounts, delayed
release didn’t earn any fans, thrown under
the bus on bad advice, with government funding
the formula of modernity isn’t manifesting
at all from the desired preconditions, a jacked
motionless body, risked a step aside

6
two thugs carrying a stereo system, the climax
of the shopping riot at the looted corner
store, the night before the savage collapse in prices
the cash machine was ramped to full speed, looks
dead on its feet, the government funding
includes educational developments, raises
tuition, the dodo bird’s getting fat, started
hiccupping from the booze, yawns sweetly

7
change in the ethnic make-up in the region, blasted
by an eruption of everyday violence, brought a new
wave of violence in its wake, the immunization
smear will be improperly stored, shoved
up an ass upon delivery, with government funding,
with a call to the top, corrupt ties between colleagues
in intelligence agencies solidify, rations wrapped
in a pre-election poster, a hole in one

8
despite hacking up a lung, they continue to live
a stone’s throw from the land of toxic waste
contamination, the landlubber falls on his ass
at “get down and freeze,” here, there’s no way
to get around without casualties, with government funding,
anti-inflammatories put in a specially
designated container, took the bumpy platzkart
seat by the toilet, viagra damage explained

9
downed two hefty shots to the lol-worthy
announcement of the party list, armageddon
isn’t that far away, it’s next to you in bed, the salesgirl started
screeching at the sausage counter, the donut
gives way to the croissant, with government funding,
support of population aide turned into a price
war against it, a guy going nuts doesn’t have the guts
to see what’s cooking, the meek get bullied

10
the whipped boyfriend gets flayed, she decided
to really give it to him, appears in the photoshop
contest in a compromising position, scampers
overseas as quickly as possible, the self-promoter
lays on the guilt, the government funding
didn’t include the gutted chicken, imported
with its giblets for some reason, even sold with them, dyna-
mics positive after the injection, a meth-head tripping

11
the military vet, or the web junkie
sez, not lyfe, but a uniformed disgrace as torn
military decoration, unafraid to defend by sword
and shield the democracy of likes, shutters click,
police van in the background, with government funding
softening the regime’s measures ends up tightening
the limits on negotiations, the glamorous
proposal blows past their ears, reduced by a quarter

12
ballot-box still sealed, some slob does a recount
while yawning at the monitor, voter registration cards
trafficked under the table, you couldn’t come up with
that demotivator even in a real state, the fucked
idea of big changes, with government funding,
interparty factions are really heating up
the economic situation, so overheated, fruit
candied to hell, cap cut off

13
smoked out nugs in that nasty bathroom
at the hipster club, heated topics aid
in the production of endorphins, a poppy dew-
drop falls into a refugee’s mouth, the full-blown
idiot fights for his rights, with government funding
the entrepreneur’s federal repossession coincided
with the seizure of his property, bitter sarcasm
is inappropriate, but inevitable, a diaper change

14
report numbers come together, a loser
swigs his sour morse, a thief gets beat
with a mop handle, the cattlecrat regime
went completely insane, the patriotic song
left unsung in the encore, the government funding
is packing heat, the sick guy’s stomach
was the color of hepatitis, got kicked
lying down, played some cards

15
the elections manipulated, how many unpaid
minimum wages, a she-wolf howls from her gut, a bony
fraud voter, adding fake votes to the ballots,
gets hammered in the distribution tent
at the election commission, with government funding
rolled up in cement, the principal puppeteer
can’t hide his shaking hands, per curiam seal-affixed
rental of wedding limos, soupsday dawns

June 2, 2011 – March 17, 2012



Excerpt from Moonbath

Even so, it wasn’t going to take long for our life, too, to shrivel, for the ground to crack under our feet, for the light dresses of women to darken to the color of grief.


The Capybara

"So we've accomplished our plan. How does it feel?" In the back seat, Ah Yung slaps the capybara's belly, which rings out like a ripe watermelon.


Poems from "Blackbird"

1 a rusted-out sedan stuck in traffic, they arrived in droves from the rebel region to enroll, life embittered in solid chocolate, an osteopath found signs of pelvic dislocation in a laborer from the mining sector, in government funding, the inevitable bankroll of negative emotions, siphoned for military use with third-party government assistance, cooked up […]