new from above/ground press: LONG SPEECH FROM MY FATHER AS MY FATHER AS WU TAO TZU ET AL, by Jake Kennedy

LONG SPEECH FROM MY FATHER AS MY FATHER AS WU TAO TZU ET AL
Jake Kennedy
$6

Oh my son my son it’s cold without proper clothes on 
-colder than a witch’s tit – colder than the balls on a brass 
monkey – colder than a well-digger’s ass 

with my little gods hereabouts: watch and keys and wallet
– shit, just look at them – very dutiful –calm and sincere – I 
look away and quickly look back and they’re still here 

jellyfish exist – crazy debutantes –twirling in their electric 
ball gowns through the old seascape– wow – such 
splendours – they exist my son – wow wow

tiny windows on the backs of ants – so bright - oh my son 
inside their lacquered bodies it’s pure light - the gods 
rattling in the attic and the gods shushing in the trees –

but seriously my son come in come in how are you? – I 
think it’s time to admit them – I’ve been so afraid – I might 
admit them– come in! – 

another patient said to me, George we’re just dreams sent 
into a world of brute material – no wonder it’s tricky out 
there my son- rocks know how to be and we don’t

son son my son – like you I’m at home with the plain old 
typical nouns – trying to find the one word (Knife! 
Cigarette! Car!) that splits the hour open – 

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
February 2026
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

cover image: “Baudelaire,” 1911
Raymond Duchamp-Villon (1876-1918)

Jake Kennedy does not know if it’s real or artificial or even intelligence at all therefore he appreciates the three squirrels this season that play maniacal tag on his front lawn. Every morning he tells them that he respects their speed / that he is in awe of their purposeless play. Every morning they retreat to the high branches and they perch above him and they go, “clickclickclick hisshisshiss booboo tryagainhuman” which is only right.

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