Aimless Reading: The S's, Part 26 (Michael Sikkema)

Sikkema, Michael
Futuring

Given to me by the author. The landscape-formatted cover has a slight bend to it. I can't remember where we were exactly when he handed it to me, no doubt at some poetry reading or other in Buffalo.

The book had either just come out or was about to. Michael had a single copy with him, which he was carrying around rolled up like a newspaper. I can't remember if it was rolled up in his hands or in his back pocket. I want to say it was in his back pocket.

I told him I'd like to get a copy at some point. Before I had the sentence out of my mouth he eagerly unfurled this copy, now forever slightly warped, and said, "Here," as he handed it to me.

I remember being slightly surprised because he had told me he was still waiting for his box of author copies to arrive and that this was his only copy.

I think that's the story. It's a little fuzzy. I mostly remember being surprised that he gave me his only copy and also at how poorly he was treating his new book by rolling it up like that.

from Futuring

from Fine Little Hammer

1


It's February, I'm in my
insufficient fund outfit


I wait for new reports
from the next room


My spinal chord is 
a social animal talking 


talk


2


Fish lay eggs dead
in dead Caspian


I want something shiny to
look at me for a second


then something shinier