Author Information
Artificial Feathers of a Swan I, II
I.
Simultaneously, they adjust their aprons, tighten horse
blinders, and lock necks to a maximum lateral rotation.
Like an antenna, a serving spoon protracts. Its goop
dwadles ov'r 10 ft. of clearance into tray slide territory.
(...) The cashier shelters beneath his device, exposing
a single gloved hand signalling three, five, zero ov'r
a keypad. (...) Food-sloshers hunch ov'r unidirectional
chairs until the lights blow. The ceiling begins a "happy
birthday to [...] Swanman!" then turns into a rasp
followed by a reciprocating and a sawdust coating
of Swanman's face. From the dumbwaiter descends
a cake. With salival discharge, he smothers each flame.
While exposing chest, he protracts a 16 ft. prosethetic
handshake t'ward the ceiling hole, but misses due to
a locked neck at maximum lateral rotation with elephant
blinders. Awestruck, the spectators offer their knees
until he mistakes them for hearts. Someone yells "fire!"
II.
Begat by Swanman's error, Lady Anaconda nosedives
from the ceiling and devours him. She returns two-sized,
and crouched, rejoicing to a song of "Mirror, mirror
on the stall, the Queen Widow is greater than them
all," moaning high to the reflection of her stretching labia.
She creeps out for a bask, flicking her ear-switch to auto
response so that a "Nice weather, [...]" gets shotgun'd
by a "Yes, now go away before I eat you." And after-
ward, she'll lick herself a bath, until the renegade arrives.
Squid Vicious, thrice her size, wants to bargain: her friend-
ship for not being lunch. At once, she daringly gives away
her prosthetic handshake, popping his every circus balloon,
and ringing his every glass bottle. Out of utter joy, Vicious
flails, cries, and fetches one of several abandoned seesaws.
Upon returning, he sees only absence, and hears only sirens.
