High Alert
after barely escaping the draft,
after Nancy Walker stood up for TMS
Some are called to service. Those
in service are aspiring to be more.
I’m unable to identify place meant
for my subconscious. I discover it
only when dreaming. I’m occasion-
ally called out, away from my count-
try for bounty. I can’t believe what
chanced there (once?). I’ll never for-
get how hard I had to try to forget.
I was completely exposed, taking o-
orders, running around and around.
All must have ID for idea of the id
is to identify. Mother is bountiful. M-
other has a lot to carry. Tags are vital.
Mother is at high risk of having an @-
tack. All must subscribe. Mother knows
best. All must have ID. There’s no all-
alternative way of pricing. Tags are so
necessary. Mother will have to go thru
all the tags. There is no other way of i-
identifying a body. ID must be checked.
The armed service scared me as a teen-
ager. WAR bits are unforgettable. There
were many public service announcements
for teenagers to join the service. I was
perspiring to be more. I found my self
in need. I wanted to run away to a safer
keep— another bounty country. I grew
up to serve. To make people feel secure.
I must serve in the service industry. I deal
with the id. There is much distrust in the
unidentified. Mother has been on her feet
all day. Teenagers are set up. Put your best
foot forward. Teenagers must be served up
weapons to serve their bounty country. I
served alcohol without checking ID, then I
got served (citation) for attack of my bounty
country. Mother distrusts teenagers. Ill teens
were born ready to put their best foot forward. Mother is expecting a call. Some things
are unforgettable. I’m on call. I’m sweating. It never ends. I’m running around. I can’t
get the orders right. Mother can’t stop war - worrying. I’m in an endless battle providing
forgettable service. No body is getting what they ordered. It helps to drink on the job. E-
very one wants to know who’s in charge. Mother’s giving the brush-off. This ill career
creates drinking problems. Everyone wants to know who is in charge. The gun shot it’s
self. I could not help it. This isn’t what was
ordered. It’s cold. This isn’t what was order-
ed. All are walking out on me. Panic. That chef
in the cage. I’m sorry, but it had nothing to do
with me. It took a village. I was only serving to
do my part. I was (just) carrying out the orders.
It’ll all be cleaned up. Don’t you go worry. Pick
up the tip. Do it right away. Don’t forget, please.
Bill isn’t right. Take it away. I must stay in my place
none can take away from me. Keep orange onstage.
is it rude to stare?
(check) u’r not a robot after Shields
& Yarnell take a chance on TMS
on another vanishing line?
u descend underground &
Druidia blue dot ° wanes
for available out bound train.
to ur left n to ur right, as u
wait, every body is poised to
dive into his & her in-ground
rectangular pool of a phone.
polluted sea circus in a station of a
metro. subtle ¨drip· tunnel ˘drop,
u peek beyond the yellow bricks
@ an unbounded wet, black bough.
u consider negative space below
n wonder how effective the fall
could be in finding one direction
as light echoes w/in the chamber.
stand clear strangers trip thru space
home in other words fly honeymoon
like toys do when the children fall
fast asleep. two tremble umbrellas.
{ no one has ever not seen her
wearing some mask. no one ever
imagines how lonely he must be.
} u think he thinks all about her.
after her surrender under water loo
sewer, his top-broad droid-disinterest
absorbs; he mimes this is loudly w/in
power. she assumes line wax matrix.
he foresees more of his model robot.
he must like her transfer holding hand
across pane of laminated glass$$$$$
as u’all take cool next-stop cylindrical
ACE operatic cast-steel rail thru new
low, wrinkled cosmo-seamed cameos
fast forward>>>>
[FRAGILE] balanced on the biggest wave
jet/train/shuttle/sub/ship/way/tube
not a\clink\clink\clink\rollercoaster.
u hear no hum-mummering search to
seize sweet-spot blue pew/loco-motion
shindig *¡!ding¡!*!¡dong!¡* coin tap can
wonders @ ant pants limited service fault
suspended w/transfer available objective:
*union* *square* obfuscation. click \
clack/hiss))))howl))))~hyperspace~
whistle -coil- — screech %%halt%%
twinkle of +change drama approaching
u C { two must separate lines. it’s her
stop. poke her. must have known this
moment would come } (quill) (notes)
(hedgehog)(shields up)(hull)(sardine)(so
lo) routine saloon show holds cold pole.
rooster retch swill, brown-bag buckaroo,
& sarsaparilla-jelly snake masseur signals
for divorce. TikTok ads provide respite.
u observe { a brain arguing w/Frost
Glacier Freeze Gatorade decanter to
crack gumshoe vocal-range operative.
shadows sound safe in AirPod dome.
{ that seamstress thinks she isn’t for-
lorn, holding it down on eyed phone
w/a 4G mechanized isolation boom }
u grow stubborn w/in shrinking space.
laugh· no· long·err· norm·all· a·lone (·)
late-nite empire’s full wild hail outlasts
mountain-elephant rats scurrying off w/
lizard skin. gnawing cobalt moth grids
teeth on other side for looking @ him
funny. stand clear of the closing doors. wind
armored barman shuffles disconcerted,
tired of pretending his detachment} u
<<<< rewind?
wonder if he shifts passenger cars to
better sick hundred-dollar ... people?
ATTENTION there will be no service
because of an ongoing police investigation
Niko Teixeira is a Luso American queer of NYC. He received his BA from SFSU and his MFA from CCNY. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Another New Calligraphy, LandLocked, Cosmonauts Avenue, ArLiJo, MiGoZine, Juke Joint, Counterclock, Dream Pop, Surfaces, as well as Selcouth #1. You can find cyber remnants of his gay activity flying off the handle @muppoet.