How To Draw A Knife

Start with rectangles

which define perspective

through relative construction.

Angles of incidence

are slow like the shadow

of moon on a wound.

Tang and point and edge and tip,

pommel, heel and bolster.

All goods and services

are gummed and oiled

in the pleathered sheath

to find their own utility.

In one precise moment

these dreadful touchstones

will melt and spread,

melt and spread

to the very edge of bread.

Truck stop display case revolving knob,

shine, shine florescent spine.

If we could just get enough

from dwindling parallel resistors,

get enough

by scraping this glass-walled ellipsis,

this excavation by stainless steel (Taiwan)

will someday build a heavy-duty zipper.

When it opens

it also opens you.

So we’ll see Alice there inside,

then we’ll see Alice with her smiles and her “fine,”

because (note well) in fact

every knife is two knives.

Declared intent will emerge

from concealed folds,

dreaming to the forge

//

Chris Eck is pursuing creative enrichment from music, poetry and life-education in the Iowa City area.

An avid guitarist and teacher, Chris enjoys the privilege of sharing these enrichments with many amazing people. Current projects include a revival screenwriting collaboration with Blank Action Productions, music from "Influence and Filtration" with the Small-But-Mighty Songwriter Group,

and two sketch-generated poetry collections ("How to Draw a Knife" and "Stories About Spiders").