right hand pointing

A r b u s

A Note on Sources: The three poems that follow are based largely on tape recordings of a series of classes that photographer Diane Arbus gave in 1971, as transcribed in Diane Arbus (Aperture, 1972). In addition, “Devolving” integrates photo captions from the same book.

Devolving

I could become

a million things:

child with a toy

hand grenade

in Central Park,

identical twins,

a flower girl

at a wedding,

nudist lady

with swan

sunglasses,

Xmas tree

in a living room.

I don’t like

to arrange things.

If I stand in front

of something,

instead of arranging it,

I arrange myself.