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bare hands

from theater of trees by John R. Campbell

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lyrics

Similarity, so dicey—it could be any little motif
playing around the eyes. Like a gnat wanting moisture,
like a comet of dirty ice hauling earthward.
I don’t want to hear it, your prediction. I don’t like
the tone of your voice on my phone. I can’t seem
to witness nature firsthand, but I do have cable,
and just last night, I chanced upon an orangutan—
a dominant male, all bulk and swagger, cheek pouches
framing his wily eyes. Misplaced features, cubist
insinuations, displace similarity now. Everything’s
a version of everything else: no opposites, no
distinctive traits. The males bulk up in the forest,
study the circuit of fruit, the timing of ripening figs.
What do you suppose it was like—to fend off all comers,
to roam and call over vast swathes of forest? That life
is over, in nearly all of his range. The red ape
has succumbed, to deadly similarity. But I don’t want
to die that way. I don’t want you and your friends
gathered around me like I’m some sort of relic,
the last of his kind. I swear I’ll rearrange my life.
I’ll become covert, approach only strangers,
affiliate with no one. I’ll learn the last of the secret trees.
I’ll go there, and in a show of strength, tear
books apart with my two bare hands.

credits

from theater of trees, released August 8, 2016

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John R. Campbell Corvallis, Oregon

John R. Campbell creates soundscapes via jazz, experimental, contemplative, spoken word, & alt roots textures. He's worked with
Trio Bravo triobravo.bandcamp.com
Blind Lions blindlions.bandcamp.com
Woodman/ Kellam/ Campbell woodmankellamcampbell.bandcamp.com
Avant Garage
avantgarage.bandcamp.com
& others. His blues persona, Green Man Blues, can be found at greenmanblues.bandcamp.com ... more

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