new from above/ground press: Hugh Thomas’ Opening the Dictionary

Opening the Dictionary
by Hugh Thomas
$4

Opening the Dictionary

I.
 

good family, the King, ten crowns, evil, a ring
himself, his looks, chance, profit, income
white blossoms, tears, burning zeal
principle, meat, that account
lack of curiosity, bake cakes
undress, clear the table, break in two
go to sleep, pine away

II.

milk, light, book, loaf
the main thing
near, first, alone
as he works
suddenly, absolutely, quite simply

III.

to glance at, to blow a kiss
to spend the night
to afflict, to throw out
to accuse, to speak ill of
to hanker after

IV.

memory, writing, works, friend,
days, folly, portrait,
tending to corrupt, suitable, full,

there were a lot of people in the streets today

V.

to whine, to whimper
to squeak, to crinkle, to crunch
to twinkle, to shine
to take out, to utter, to publish
to hollow
to rummage in
to write, to be written
to wake up

VI.

pocket dictionary letter
bird ballad gadget
snowfall whisper

VII.

ink by force to talk to itself
engaged in reading
too, also, as well
and so am I

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
September 2011
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy


Hugh Thomas lives in Fredericton, where he is a professor of mathematics at the University of New Brunswick. Chapbooks of his poetry have been published by Paper Kite Press (Heart badly buried by five shovels, 2009) and BookThug (Mutations, 2004). Franzlations, the imaginary Kafka parables, a book of variations on Kafka texts, which is a joint project with Gary Barwin and Craig Conley, will be published by New Star Books in the fall.



To order, send cheques (add $1 for postage; outside Canada, add $2) to: rob mclennan, 402 McLeod St #3, Ottawa ON K2P 1A6 or paypal at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com

Hugh Thomas reads in Ottawa as part of The Factory Reading Series on Friday, September 23, 2011.