Art

Future Malls of America – Tom Will

All the malls in America are empty; its 1 AM everywhere in all the malls in America 

Because they got rid of time zones inside the malls; it was decided 

Not a Bukowski reference; made official by a NYTimes astrologer on a hot mic

The malls are the newer zodiac; the moon passing into the Arizona Mills Malls house

Until the days get shorter again; like the movies

The King of Prussia Mall at 1:01 AM in this future year had its idea stolen 

They built a wrestling cage in the central piazza of the Mall of America; 1:12 AM

And filled it with pianos first; a salute to the malls heritage; the NWO third floor 

Bodyslam; it was a risky decision yknow because somebody was throwing kids off it

And not Benoit either; and just a few hours away John Coltrane had a house in Philly

And this dissuaded piano bars from leasing up; its the cage mainly; also requests

The installment was proposed by an auto-erotic-fiction writer

They wanted to call it (un)caged melody; but they could live without the title

Management found it too confusing; pun notwithstanding; the author threw the towel in 

FAO Schwartz got very nasal; the keyboard scene from big kid in the big city in the mall

The white keys are lipstick up the nose; the black keys Randy Newman when the mics go off at 1:15 AM

What jeans are those I finally broke down and asked

Guess they said; please just tell me I barely replied; then my blackflag phase

They got Henry Rollins to airbnb out Pioneer Place in Portland

It was simple; he watched escape from ny the night before

Stayed up 2 weeks straight trying to reacronymninize PPP

The oblique strategies made him give it up; ask again later

How could modestmouse know Orange Julius would have a brand resurgence

And hire them to work the Orange County malls; reworked dramamine to orangecream

Whistling the harmonics when the amps gave out; Victorias Secret narrowly losing out

On their bid for thelonesomecrowdedbreast; I am returning to cherries now

Getting your childrens ears pierced and leaving the store in the mall must feel

Different than leaving the mall and walking into the parking lot

Or walking in from the parking lot to the mall to the store

The cold air whistling through it like; whered your jaw go I only asked because I was half asleep

You put a bullseye on it; I never jawed again; then your badbrains phase

The Prussian Kings children wont cry out for mannequins anymore; nor models; nor muscles; they have

The white sanddunes of abdominals; the zen finger painting gardens of young legs; a walk; men

The King of Prussia will have some good ideas in the coming weeks; he took some time off

Stand by for that; John Ford; Frank Capra; Howard Hawks; John Huston

The big four that shot the war films please stand by for that; come back and wait

For your malls to be filmed; The King of Prussia was thinking; how will Don D Raper

Drink smoke and screw his way out of this one; reading Franko Haira maybe

Maybe Pumping Iron meets theme park upscale rest stop

Hardcore gym with oxygen bar; my guess is Golden City Plaza; Its in Colorado; Its 1:67 AM

Huston should film the rock wall at Big5; Capra the massage chair

Hawks can shoot B roll; Ford can find the horizons with his thumbs

And thresholds;

Ted Berrigan you made me start drinking Pepsi

Vincent you made me start smoking cigarettes

My parents for some reason you had The Black Widow and The Highlander on VHS

Pre-delete-history; you made me start being a fuck sneak

Asking my friends where is the darkest mall in America

Where is the brightest mall in America

Where is the most catholic mall in America 

Why does that candle look like that; is it melted; no its brand new; still in the wrapping

Wrapped in free will; Where is Golden City Colorado

Why do uzbeks look mexican to blacks and asian to asians 

Why did Henry Rollins do that second interview; thirteen years later; thats

Too much time to think; I dont like writing long poems; I think it feels like the movies are on

“IF HE STAYS ON THE LINE FOR MORE THAN TWO PAGES WE CAN TRIANGULATE HIS LOCATION” 

SWAT team breaking down the mall doors; the mall is coming from inside the mall

Unlocked doors; they got confused

That time difference thing; its not dark here; they made me a gun nut

The best part about rocknroll is the cops and robbers can play the same song

And shoot it at each other; the King of Prussia has another shit idea; stop using apostrophes 

He put beehives in the drawers where they used to open up to loose leaf tea blends 

Now honeybees; honeycombs; honey; propolis; no not an Olson reference

Theyre going to kill the King of Prussia three times a day in front of his children