IAN WILLIAMS
The Rusty Toque | Issue 13 | Poetry | November 30, 2017
Gruyère
Instead of wealthy wealthy people say comfortable quite comfortable they’re quite comfortable to describe themselves and their silvering friends who are building houses on the island. They may say well off in lieu of wealthy in lieu of rich to distinguish themselves in lieu of Reich from the nouveau. I stack great blocks of Great Value Cheese in my cart. I can’t taste the difference between fort cheddar and mild cheddar. I know my cheeses by how orange they are. Fort is oranger than (what rhymes with) the other. Instead of a plate and a potato peeler breakfast at your place involves a cheese platter and a Dutch cheese slicer. Three wedges of cheese audition. To vote call 1-866-IDOLS-01. Sharp is an acquired word for an acquired taste. ’Tis better than saying I like the one that tastes like my childhood. I’m learning. A fromagerie is more specialized than the No Frills cheese counter. Note: une fromagerie but le fromage. I like pictures of cows on my cheese. Know where I’m coming from? An island in the middle of nowhere. Dwell hath commanded thee by name to fill thy condo with uncomfortable Danish furniture. There are two people at a table for six. Note: not two of us. One and an other. I am the sharp colour of a grimace. Cart
were skins By the sixth time we met we. happened very quickly The progression to nekkid. held the handle of the oven for balance While removing my socks I. beheld me as you shed your clothes near the nightlight in the hallway You. wouldn’t call it stripping I. didn’t I. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. In that order. during the night Daylight savings time ended. into end times We fell. Where were you child when you oughta been prayin’ all on that day? Nina Simone was singing. the bedroom We couldn’t say. ourselves with aprons of fig leaves We covered. Who told thee that thou wast naked? And God asked. me the woman You gave. the woman me. I don’t mind that version. Oh look I screwed up. call it a garden I wouldn’t. nothing floral was there. Sorry that should be, Was nothing floral there. on my socks Dressage horses leapt and trotted. messed up I. am sorry Look I. have rushed to the same mistake I frequently. a lonely life you led ∙ which follows which ∙ a lonely life you left ∙ for me ∙ me for ∙ which precedes which ∙ a lonely life you led a little life you lived a little life alone in a hallway before me you lived |
IAN WILLIAMS is the author of three books, including Personals, a finalist for the Griffin Prize. His first novel, Reproduction, is forthcoming from Random House. www.ianwilliams.ca
