Wyn Cooper
Death of the Cool
breath on a spool
that unwinds into
sounds so loud
they injure ears,
find fear in chords
so rare they haven’t
been invented yet,
make stops where
others would keep
playing, scatter eerie
notes across a room
that stands in
for everywhere
else.
The trumpet glistens
in the low bar
light, sends furtive
signals to the bass
and drums, a guitar
that sounds like
gutters might sound
if they were tuned
to this station,
the one called loss,
so severe it makes
shrill noises until
someone turns it
off.
Death of the Cool
breath on a spool
that unwinds into
sounds so loud
they injure ears,
find fear in chords
so rare they haven’t
been invented yet,
make stops where
others would keep
playing, scatter eerie
notes across a room
that stands in
for everywhere
else.
The trumpet glistens
in the low bar
light, sends furtive
signals to the bass
and drums, a guitar
that sounds like
gutters might sound
if they were tuned
to this station,
the one called loss,
so severe it makes
shrill noises until
someone turns it
off.
Tread Lightly
Tread lightly on the water or sink.
Go into a bar and don’t come out.
Take tea at three and don’t complain.
Trip on a word you’re trying to learn.
Don’t stop talking, even to yourself.
Tone down your voice—it echoes in here.
Try on every coat in the store, buy none.
Get in your car without knowing why.
Time the stoplights so you get every red.
Tip the waitress more than necessary.
Train your eyes on everything around you.
Look in the mirror and see someone else.
Tread lightly on the water or sink.
Go into a bar and don’t come out.
Take tea at three and don’t complain.
Trip on a word you’re trying to learn.
Don’t stop talking, even to yourself.
Tone down your voice—it echoes in here.
Try on every coat in the store, buy none.
Get in your car without knowing why.
Time the stoplights so you get every red.
Tip the waitress more than necessary.
Train your eyes on everything around you.
Look in the mirror and see someone else.
Wyn Cooper is the author of four books of poems, most recently Chaos is the New Calm (BOA Editions, 2010), and Postcards from the Interior (BOA Editions, 2005). His poems appear in more than 25 anthologies of contemporary poetry and more than 100 magazines. He has written song lyrics for Sheryl Crow, Madison Smartt Bell, and David Broza, among others. He works as a freelance editor of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction from his home in Vermont. More information is at www.wyncooper.com.
