Fricative 20

the tongue is prosthetic unity
pros- : in addition to
+τίθημι : to put (literal act of laying down)
like  τῐ́θημῐ πόδα : I plant the foot
τῐ́θημῐ  τὰ ὅπλα: 
            I rest arms
            I bear arms
            I lay down arms and surrender
language is pros-θέσις
an addition seeking to fulfil
an absent limb             itching
a primal map/ ejaculate from
a time-bruise on the throat
the last song beyond mankind
words as habitat for a thought system
systemic erasure of sounds echo in history
the k now silent in knife
the performative exploitation
of sounds lost to history
q(u')es(t-ce) q(u)e c'e(st)
(g)nostic tho(ugh)t apropo(s) bigbang ex nihilo
phlegm’s elusive g
the χ of Afrikaans
geld in throat
lifted off to spell
the letter that sands
my tongue-root lucid
there are too many moving parts to the self
the only continuity is through language
there is an entropy to friction 
feel it in your throat
say χ and listen 
to its pulse
climb out 
of your laryngeal Tundra

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τίθημι (Greek) tithenai, meaning “to put” also the literal act of lying down
τῐ́θημῐ πόδα (Greek) tithnyi poda: “to plant the foot”
θέσις(Greek): thesis

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Poetry
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May 2,
2021
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2-minute
read

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Khashayar Mohammadi

is a queer, Iranian born, Toronto-based poet, writer and translator. He is the author of poetry chapbooks Moe’s Skin (ZED press 2018), Dear Kestrel (knife | fork | book 2019), Solitude is an Acrobatic Act and The OceanDweller (both by above/ground press 2020). His debut poetry collection Me, You, Then Snow is out with Gordon Hill Press.

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