the talented greg lytle did a hand drawn animation video for one of the poems in i am in the air right now, available for pre-order from greying ghost press. i think he said he drew around 400 frames (*update* 750 frames!). what in the world. he is so good. this is maybe the best thing that has ever happened to me. if you have a short piece that you would like animated, contact greg.
I Am In the Air Right Now from Greg Lytle on Vimeo.
Showing posts with label i am in the air right now. Show all posts
Showing posts with label i am in the air right now. Show all posts
3.19.2008
the air does not hold memory or voice
it is hard to tell where my hands are
the cloud coverage hides shadow.
i have accidental dreams of fish, murder
and native americans. photography bores me,
literature bores me, vanished kidnapping victims bore me.
i have been to the same parlors you frequent, i know
that while i was dreaming you were gathering mushrooms
to poison my soup. you are getting close to me
so that murder can ensue.
the air does not look like you at all.
i have to stop looking at the trees though, they are expressive like
your face. you do not need to raise your eyebrows
so much. i get it. i get it.
things i know, i repeat
the hot air balloon: neutral, wiped of memories does not remind
the cloud coverage hides shadow.
i have accidental dreams of fish, murder
and native americans. photography bores me,
literature bores me, vanished kidnapping victims bore me.
i have been to the same parlors you frequent, i know
that while i was dreaming you were gathering mushrooms
to poison my soup. you are getting close to me
so that murder can ensue.
the air does not look like you at all.
i have to stop looking at the trees though, they are expressive like
your face. you do not need to raise your eyebrows
so much. i get it. i get it.
things i know, i repeat
the hot air balloon: neutral, wiped of memories does not remind
3.16.2008
nothing satisfies the empty space
cleopatra gazelle brought a horse on the balloon
and the candy striper didn’t even bring medicine for my vertigo
the passengers are useless
i would climb down if my hair were longer
or if my anxiety could form a vine
anxiety is useless because it stays on the inside
watching a candy striper and a frame cleaner make out
is not that interesting. i am bored again
i would like to swallow a large piece of the atmosphere
and charm the horse while wrapping him in shroud
all the horses followed me home and slept
with me under silk sheets for years
it is dumb to put your lips on someone’s lips; heat
comes from fire and not some unknowable source like
‘love’ or ‘nuclear power.’ sometimes he took pictures
of native americans and jousting weapons and
sometimes i confuse his face for pedro’s face
but his face was not pedro’s face and it was not clear
like my face and it did not glimmer like a silver dollar
and there is not enough room for a swollen heart,
a frame cleaner, a candy striper and a horse.
forty-seven people i’ve touched have died
i am not sorry. i regret the pollution but not everything:
i had a brief affair with mark rothko
and the candy striper didn’t even bring medicine for my vertigo
the passengers are useless
i would climb down if my hair were longer
or if my anxiety could form a vine
anxiety is useless because it stays on the inside
watching a candy striper and a frame cleaner make out
is not that interesting. i am bored again
i would like to swallow a large piece of the atmosphere
and charm the horse while wrapping him in shroud
all the horses followed me home and slept
with me under silk sheets for years
it is dumb to put your lips on someone’s lips; heat
comes from fire and not some unknowable source like
‘love’ or ‘nuclear power.’ sometimes he took pictures
of native americans and jousting weapons and
sometimes i confuse his face for pedro’s face
but his face was not pedro’s face and it was not clear
like my face and it did not glimmer like a silver dollar
and there is not enough room for a swollen heart,
a frame cleaner, a candy striper and a horse.
forty-seven people i’ve touched have died
i am not sorry. i regret the pollution but not everything:
i had a brief affair with mark rothko
1.31.2008
on the scientific principle of "hot air rises"
i like to perform experiments on the air. it is “bad for you.” everything that is good is bad
for you. the air gets colder the higher up you go because the molecules spread apart and less
friction is less heat. but if hot air rises wouldn’t it be hotter the higher
up you go? science is difficult. for example, the midwife’s mother has brown eyes and her
father has brown eyes but she has blue eyes. do blue eyes surface in a baby the way hot air
rises? it is impossible to know. we do not have the technology.
i am very cold. for example, the molecules on my skin are spreading out the way the
continents broke apart a while ago. if i had been high enough up in the air i could have seen
the continental drift. the midwife insists on birthing
babies in the air. it is the newest form of technology since water birth. she says that when
babies are birthed in the water they come out blue because of the scientific principle of blue
water. but when they are born in the air they come out clear
and babies should be clear. but isn’t the sky blue for the same reason that water is blue? it is
impossible to know. i do not understand how hot air balloons work. it has something to do
with fire. hot and cold are the main components of technology.
when they work against each other things rise. when they work together continents break
apart and people fall out of the sky. i did not throw the midwife overboard. i did not drop the
baby in a lake. it was science. for example,
for you. the air gets colder the higher up you go because the molecules spread apart and less
friction is less heat. but if hot air rises wouldn’t it be hotter the higher
up you go? science is difficult. for example, the midwife’s mother has brown eyes and her
father has brown eyes but she has blue eyes. do blue eyes surface in a baby the way hot air
rises? it is impossible to know. we do not have the technology.
i am very cold. for example, the molecules on my skin are spreading out the way the
continents broke apart a while ago. if i had been high enough up in the air i could have seen
the continental drift. the midwife insists on birthing
babies in the air. it is the newest form of technology since water birth. she says that when
babies are birthed in the water they come out blue because of the scientific principle of blue
water. but when they are born in the air they come out clear
and babies should be clear. but isn’t the sky blue for the same reason that water is blue? it is
impossible to know. i do not understand how hot air balloons work. it has something to do
with fire. hot and cold are the main components of technology.
when they work against each other things rise. when they work together continents break
apart and people fall out of the sky. i did not throw the midwife overboard. i did not drop the
baby in a lake. it was science. for example,
1.18.2008
the sky is not a good place for careful observation
it is difficult to see the native americans
at this altitude. they are pinpricks over the landscape
i think or else those are cars. it is difficult to see
a four-leaf clover without looking closely.
all of the sweet peas gather under a full moon; their light
limbless, balled into sweating fury. or else
those are trees, i don’t have water up here.
i keep my sweat in a bottle for hot days.
i have an art collection in my balloon. i have seen civilizations
pass and painted them in blood and water. War is not paint
and tiny brushstrokes; i don’t have paint up here.
“what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom?”
the passengers are dumb. i don’t go to the ground
for them anymore. i am well-stocked with lavender pebbles,
sour peaches and potatoes. i don’t need to see history
closely. i don’t need to see your face up close
to remember the boring fizz of love. my eyes sting
from dry air, not realization or tears, asshole.
i wonder how the alphabet has changed since i last
used it. i wonder if slurpees are called something different
now. it is difficult to know my mind without other minds
knocking into it. there are birds. i miss the native americans.
i miss your bald expressions. i miss mirrors. i miss time
will open up into me, blankly, without passing.
at this altitude. they are pinpricks over the landscape
i think or else those are cars. it is difficult to see
a four-leaf clover without looking closely.
all of the sweet peas gather under a full moon; their light
limbless, balled into sweating fury. or else
those are trees, i don’t have water up here.
i keep my sweat in a bottle for hot days.
i have an art collection in my balloon. i have seen civilizations
pass and painted them in blood and water. War is not paint
and tiny brushstrokes; i don’t have paint up here.
“what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom?”
the passengers are dumb. i don’t go to the ground
for them anymore. i am well-stocked with lavender pebbles,
sour peaches and potatoes. i don’t need to see history
closely. i don’t need to see your face up close
to remember the boring fizz of love. my eyes sting
from dry air, not realization or tears, asshole.
i wonder how the alphabet has changed since i last
used it. i wonder if slurpees are called something different
now. it is difficult to know my mind without other minds
knocking into it. there are birds. i miss the native americans.
i miss your bald expressions. i miss mirrors. i miss time
will open up into me, blankly, without passing.
12.18.2007
12.09.2007
the hot air balloonist is sleeping
(a bear, a native american and an auto mechanic are in the balloon).
bear: did you see that chameleon float by? it was the color of air.
auto mechanic: this hot air balloon has a flat tire and a false bottom. i don’t like deception and i don’t like poor vehicular maintenance.
native american: there should be a word for water without a bottom.
bear: i wish that chameleon would come back. that chameleon and i had something. i hate it when that chameleon is offline.
hot air balloonist: i don’t have wi-fi in this hot air balloon. i think you have mistaken yourself for the internet.
native american: my eyes are water and my hair is water and my heart is water. my pillow is water and my liver is water and my teeth are water.
hot air balloonist: i don’t feel like writing right now. i am going to go swimming in the balloon pool.
native american: i am water and my people are water.
auto mechanic: if you hadn’t let all the air out we wouldn’t have this problem. now there is no air left and everything is blue. that is not right. things should be clear but instead they are blue.
hot air balloonist: uh-oh. this hot air balloon is not a duck boat.
bear: that chameleon has opened my heart in one thousand ways.
bear: did you see that chameleon float by? it was the color of air.
auto mechanic: this hot air balloon has a flat tire and a false bottom. i don’t like deception and i don’t like poor vehicular maintenance.
native american: there should be a word for water without a bottom.
bear: i wish that chameleon would come back. that chameleon and i had something. i hate it when that chameleon is offline.
hot air balloonist: i don’t have wi-fi in this hot air balloon. i think you have mistaken yourself for the internet.
native american: my eyes are water and my hair is water and my heart is water. my pillow is water and my liver is water and my teeth are water.
hot air balloonist: i don’t feel like writing right now. i am going to go swimming in the balloon pool.
native american: i am water and my people are water.
auto mechanic: if you hadn’t let all the air out we wouldn’t have this problem. now there is no air left and everything is blue. that is not right. things should be clear but instead they are blue.
hot air balloonist: uh-oh. this hot air balloon is not a duck boat.
bear: that chameleon has opened my heart in one thousand ways.
12.05.2007
the balloon without pedro is boring
i wish a bear would float by.
are there any bears in america? if a bear
was in my balloon with me we would hold hands.
the bear could not operate the mechanisms because
of no thumbs but i could take care of that
i have been playing solitaire for 4 days.
you take rejection so hard.
i didn’t want to throw you overboard but
we were sinking and i was tired of your vocabulary.
rejection can be funny if you laugh. laughter makes the thing
become funny. i am playing two hands of solitaire at once now
i will not let the devil beat me.
when i hated you i was thinking of someone else.
i saw people’s faces in the trees and confused you
with someone cold and heavy. i don’t really know
anything about your temperature or density or whether
you could operate the mechanisms. it doesn’t matter.
when i loved you i was thinking of someone else.
are there any bears in america? if a bear
was in my balloon with me we would hold hands.
the bear could not operate the mechanisms because
of no thumbs but i could take care of that
i have been playing solitaire for 4 days.
you take rejection so hard.
i didn’t want to throw you overboard but
we were sinking and i was tired of your vocabulary.
rejection can be funny if you laugh. laughter makes the thing
become funny. i am playing two hands of solitaire at once now
i will not let the devil beat me.
when i hated you i was thinking of someone else.
i saw people’s faces in the trees and confused you
with someone cold and heavy. i don’t really know
anything about your temperature or density or whether
you could operate the mechanisms. it doesn’t matter.
when i loved you i was thinking of someone else.
12.02.2007
there should be a word for every kind of hot air balloon that exists
i met pedro in the air. he was collecting letters. he was assembling pieces of cloud.
i told pedro about the oldest form of human-carrying flight technology. he told me about a fire-starter in his village. she had a flame halo.
pedro went away to discover new fire words. “there should be a word for every kind of fire that exists” he said.
“there is a flame in this hot air balloon” i said.
“humans have explored the entire horizontal world, but they rarely think to explore vertically,” i said.
pedro and i are in love.
i taught pedro about how the oldest form of human-carrying flight technology started with floating eggshells and airborne lanterns. pieces of things went into the air before humans went into the air. birds are not included in this.
“people think too much about birds” pedro said.
i think too much about people. the tree line looks like a silver dollar when it reflects the sun. it makes the shape of a man’s face.
pedro is not even writing a new language. he is confused. he thinks he is in school right now. he thinks the air is a chalkboard.
“i am on my 49th word for fire!” pedro said.
i am going to throw pedro overboard. pedro and i are not in love.
i told pedro about the oldest form of human-carrying flight technology. he told me about a fire-starter in his village. she had a flame halo.
pedro went away to discover new fire words. “there should be a word for every kind of fire that exists” he said.
“there is a flame in this hot air balloon” i said.
“humans have explored the entire horizontal world, but they rarely think to explore vertically,” i said.
pedro and i are in love.
i taught pedro about how the oldest form of human-carrying flight technology started with floating eggshells and airborne lanterns. pieces of things went into the air before humans went into the air. birds are not included in this.
“people think too much about birds” pedro said.
i think too much about people. the tree line looks like a silver dollar when it reflects the sun. it makes the shape of a man’s face.
pedro is not even writing a new language. he is confused. he thinks he is in school right now. he thinks the air is a chalkboard.
“i am on my 49th word for fire!” pedro said.
i am going to throw pedro overboard. pedro and i are not in love.
11.25.2007
Interview with a Hot Air Balloonist
Hot Air Balloonist Magazine: Are you a hot air balloonist?
Hot Air Balloonist: Yes.
HABM: Why did you become a hot air balloonist?
HAB: Someone stole my bicycle.
HABM: Has anyone ever stolen your hot air balloon?
HAB: No.
HABM: What is the best part about the job?
HAB: Going up. The small flame. The thinning air.
HABM: What is the most challenging part about the job?
HAB: Getting down.
HABM: How do you manage to get down?
HAB: I find heavy things in the sky. On a clear day it can be difficult. The passengers are not much help. Once we get to the tree line it’s easier. Branches are heavy.
HABM: Do the passengers enjoy the ride?
HAB: They feel happy before we go up and after we come down. While we’re in the air they think about other things. One lady got upset when she had to throw her handbag and shoes over the side. They were weighing us down. Sometimes they try to take home a bit of cloud as a souvenir. They get frustrated when they can’t. They are generally unhappy people.
HABM: How long have you been a hot air balloonist?
HAB: A man tied thousands of helium balloons to a lawn chair and floated around his neighborhood. He hovered over his dog and waved at his dog.
HABM: Are you going up right now?
HAB: Yes.
HABM: Do you think hot air ballooning is still a viable form of travel?
HAB: It doesn’t...moment...giraffe knees...
HABM: I can’t hear you anymore. Can you hear me?
HAB:..........
HABM: Do you have any words of advice for young aspiring hot air balloonists?
HAB:...........
Hot Air Balloonist: Yes.
HABM: Why did you become a hot air balloonist?
HAB: Someone stole my bicycle.
HABM: Has anyone ever stolen your hot air balloon?
HAB: No.
HABM: What is the best part about the job?
HAB: Going up. The small flame. The thinning air.
HABM: What is the most challenging part about the job?
HAB: Getting down.
HABM: How do you manage to get down?
HAB: I find heavy things in the sky. On a clear day it can be difficult. The passengers are not much help. Once we get to the tree line it’s easier. Branches are heavy.
HABM: Do the passengers enjoy the ride?
HAB: They feel happy before we go up and after we come down. While we’re in the air they think about other things. One lady got upset when she had to throw her handbag and shoes over the side. They were weighing us down. Sometimes they try to take home a bit of cloud as a souvenir. They get frustrated when they can’t. They are generally unhappy people.
HABM: How long have you been a hot air balloonist?
HAB: A man tied thousands of helium balloons to a lawn chair and floated around his neighborhood. He hovered over his dog and waved at his dog.
HABM: Are you going up right now?
HAB: Yes.
HABM: Do you think hot air ballooning is still a viable form of travel?
HAB: It doesn’t...moment...giraffe knees...
HABM: I can’t hear you anymore. Can you hear me?
HAB:..........
HABM: Do you have any words of advice for young aspiring hot air balloonists?
HAB:...........
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