IV
l i
f t e d
if you saw me
g r i n n i n g
for example
with my eyes
t w i n k l i n g
you’d say I
was amused
I’ve got to
unpack the face
in slow motion
pointed backwards
a w k w a r d l i k e
at the particular
bulges outlined
the look in twelve
person’s eyes the settled teeth or
rinsed pigments
there are three
h u n d r e d
combinations of
two muscles
they are the kind
of nonsense faces
that children make
p o s s i b l e movements of lips
e l o n g a t e
de-elongate narrow
widen flatten
protrude tighten
and stretch
changes of skin
bulges bags
pouch and lines