The Manic Defence

The Manic Defence

The Manic Defence is their eyes seeing us
pupils pointing in our direction
as we assess:
is that person’s pupil in the visual-middle of their ‘eye white’?
Does that mean I’m liked?

Eyes lovingly regard us
as we forget the ability
of eyes to lie
to look half interestedly –
to flick, to flirt, to flitter.
We are being watched for signs
that we’re watching back
and so pretend a dance of looks.

Eyes full or empty, have clocks for pupils
ant’s legs for clock hands
ants eggs for eyelids
ink pools for sunglass.
Who can stand to have their eyes so scrutinised?

Our job is to replace ourselves
but we desire our memories to live on
I combine breasts with USB sticks
a whole ants’ nest of eyeballs masquerading as ant eggs
ready to hatch into attention piles.

And wings, everything has wings to fly away.

The Manic Defence – available as a free e-book here:
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