stay this moment: the autopsy lyrics, acts 1 & 2 by emily carr
DESCRIPTION
New Chapbook by Emily CarrTRANSCRIPT
STAY THIS MOMENT: THE AUTOPSY LYRICS, ACTS 1 & 2
STAY THIS MOMENT: THE AUTOPSY LYRICS, ACTS 1 & 2
© Emily Carr 2013
L R Llittle red leaves textile editions
www.littleredleaves.com
© Emily Carr 2013
L R Llittle red leaves textile editions
www.littleredleaves.com
STAY THIS MOMENT: THE AUTOPSY LYRICS, ACTS 1 & 2
Emily Carr
little red leaves textile series 2013
STAY THIS MOMENT: THE AUTOPSY LYRICS, ACTS 1 & 2
Emily Carr
little red leaves textile series 2013
[2]
[2]
Act 1VERY LIKE A WHALE
Act 1VERY LIKE A WHALE
[3]
[3]
in which it is summer & we are on the illusion of vacation
in which it is summer & we are on the illusion of vacation
[4]
[4]
[4]
[4]
WH
EN A
chill
es tr
aced
a h
eart
in th
e di
rt th
at is
my
bed.
I wor
k ju
st fi
ne.
WH
EN A
chill
es tr
aced
a h
eart
in th
e di
rt th
at is
my
bed.
I wor
k ju
st fi
ne.
[5]
[5]
ITS
a pu
rple
dre
am w
ith a
sea
to m
atch
it. O
r a
Chr
istia
nm
aze
whi
ch a
s you
kno
w h
as n
o de
ad e
nds.
I don
t wan
t the
Dev
il sa
ys to
say
that
muc
h ab
out l
a Be
lleyo
u al
l kno
w h
er in
diff
eren
t way
s—
ITS
a pu
rple
dre
am w
ith a
sea
to m
atch
it. O
r a
Chr
istia
nm
aze
whi
ch a
s you
kno
w h
as n
o de
ad e
nds.
I don
t wan
t the
Dev
il sa
ys to
say
that
muc
h ab
out l
a Be
lleyo
u al
l kno
w h
er in
diff
eren
t way
s—
[6]
[6]
WHAT are you sorry about wheres your trumpet & your tiny saint what are things like underneath
what you say they are
WHAT are you sorry about wheres your trumpet & your tiny saint what are things like underneath
what you say they are
[7]
[7]
IN the story I tell myself at 3 or 4 in the morning there are three people
& none of us have histories.
Where is the logic there.You might ask that. I never would, not anymore.
IN the story I tell myself at 3 or 4 in the morning there are three people
& none of us have histories.
Where is the logic there.You might ask that. I never would, not anymore.
[8]
[8]
AS
you
wish
la B
elle
says
& sa
ns m
erci
dra
ws:
a d
ram
atic
sil
houe
tte
of a
dea
d fr
og, a
live
r w
hich
has
bee
n di
stor
ted
by c
orse
ts to
bec
ome
shap
ed li
ke a
figu
re e
ight
, bea
utifu
l bo
ys p
layi
ng in
the
edge
s of a
n Ita
lian
com
posit
ion.
AS
you
wish
la B
elle
says
& sa
ns m
erci
dra
ws:
a d
ram
atic
sil
houe
tte
of a
dea
d fr
og, a
live
r w
hich
has
bee
n di
stor
ted
by c
orse
ts to
bec
ome
shap
ed li
ke a
figu
re e
ight
, bea
utifu
l bo
ys p
layi
ng in
the
edge
s of a
n Ita
lian
com
posit
ion.
[9]
[9]
(GO
OD
mor
ning
, cal
l, I f
ollo
w, I
follo
w le
t me
die
bec
ause
it is
nt th
e fir
st ti
me
I’ve
had
four
par
ts o
f a
min
d.)
(GO
OD
mor
ning
, cal
l, I f
ollo
w, I
follo
w le
t me
die
bec
ause
it is
nt th
e fir
st ti
me
I’ve
had
four
par
ts o
f a
min
d.)
[10]
[10]
ACHILLES wants to get drunk, dance, drive around, fuck. Against the full moon
belly he moves his toes, his teeth.
I shall Achilles says have my music for nothing—
However it began it ended like that: Achilles vows to be different,
& never at the mercy
of a woman.
ACHILLES wants to get drunk, dance, drive around, fuck. Against the full moon
belly he moves his toes, his teeth.
I shall Achilles says have my music for nothing—
However it began it ended like that: Achilles vows to be different,
& never at the mercy
of a woman.
[11]
[11]
NEV
ERM
IND
wha
t we
still
hav
e in
com
mon
is w
e us
ed to
be
our
bes
t sel
ves w
hich
is w
hy la
Bel
le h
ugs a
n im
posin
g m
anne
quin
. Bel
ieve
s a c
oupl
e of
tree
s by
the
fillin
g st
atio
n.
Show
a lo
t of l
eg sh
e sa
ys &
leav
e lif
e sm
ooth
—
Who
she
says
are
you
any
way
. Wha
t do
you
wan
t to
be
NEV
ERM
IND
wha
t we
still
hav
e in
com
mon
is w
e us
ed to
be
our
bes
t sel
ves w
hich
is w
hy la
Bel
le h
ugs a
n im
posin
g m
anne
quin
. Bel
ieve
s a c
oupl
e of
tree
s by
the
fillin
g st
atio
n.
Show
a lo
t of l
eg sh
e sa
ys &
leav
e lif
e sm
ooth
—
Who
she
says
are
you
any
way
. Wha
t do
you
wan
t to
be
[12]
[12]
BUT
if y
ou w
ere
hone
st o
r w
ould
at l
east
bum
p in
to th
e lim
its o
f you
r ho
nest
y yo
u kn
ow y
ou sh
ould
giv
e
it up
. Pre
sum
ably
you
kno
wex
actly
how
the
affa
ir w
ill e
nd fr
om th
e m
omen
t
it be
gins
.You
just
don
t car
e.
BUT
if y
ou w
ere
hone
st o
r w
ould
at l
east
bum
p in
to th
e lim
its o
f you
r ho
nest
y yo
u kn
ow y
ou sh
ould
giv
e
it up
. Pre
sum
ably
you
kno
wex
actly
how
the
affa
ir w
ill e
nd fr
om th
e m
omen
t
it be
gins
.You
just
don
t car
e.
[13]
[13]
DONT the Devil says be afraid; the song of our sin
is so pure we candrink it. There
the Devil says it is. Everything the Devil says goes.
Achilles is working very hard at not thinking about how
everything goes.
DONT the Devil says be afraid; the song of our sin
is so pure we candrink it. There
the Devil says it is. Everything the Devil says goes.
Achilles is working very hard at not thinking about how
everything goes.
[14]
[14]
TH
E gi
rl w
ith th
e be
autif
ul e
yes c
omes
, the
gir
lw
ith th
e be
autif
ul e
yes g
oes.
My
dres
s ext
ingu
ishes
me.
Aug
ust o
pens
its b
righ
t pa
lm &
sans
mer
ci sh
e pu
shes
her
stro
ller
out o
f it
TH
E gi
rl w
ith th
e be
autif
ul e
yes c
omes
, the
gir
lw
ith th
e be
autif
ul e
yes g
oes.
My
dres
s ext
ingu
ishes
me.
Aug
ust o
pens
its b
righ
t pa
lm &
sans
mer
ci sh
e pu
shes
her
stro
ller
out o
f it
[15]
[15]
IN w
hich
I am
left
thin
king
abo
ut m
y st
omac
h—in
whi
ch a
smal
l gol
d et
erna
lly g
aspi
ng fa
wn
& th
e in
stan
tane
ous s
unse
t lov
ely
on a
whi
te p
icku
p
fold
s aw
ay th
e vo
ices
—m
e to
o—I
forg
ive
you—
than
k yo
u
on th
e th
ird
day
ther
e is
no b
efor
e &
no
afte
r no
pai
n do
ne u
nto
othe
rs &
non
e pa
rado
xica
lly
done
unt
o m
ysel
f—
IN w
hich
I am
left
thin
king
abo
ut m
y st
omac
h—in
whi
ch a
smal
l gol
d et
erna
lly g
aspi
ng fa
wn
& th
e in
stan
tane
ous s
unse
t lov
ely
on a
whi
te p
icku
p
fold
s aw
ay th
e vo
ices
—m
e to
o—I
forg
ive
you—
than
k yo
u
on th
e th
ird
day
ther
e is
no b
efor
e &
no
afte
r no
pai
n do
ne u
nto
othe
rs &
non
e pa
rado
xica
lly
done
unt
o m
ysel
f—
[16]
[16]
WE thought of our souls whenever we fucked because that is when we saw them, our souls. Blue or was it orange—they were tethered, like a balloon, somewhere just below the sun flipping its skin
WE thought of our souls whenever we fucked because that is when we saw them, our souls. Blue or was it orange—they were tethered, like a balloon, somewhere just below the sun flipping its skin
[17]
[17]
[18]
[18]
Act 2THE HAIR, THE GOLF
& THE CANARY
Act 2THE HAIR, THE GOLF
& THE CANARY
[19]
[19]
in which Achilles imagineshe has answered the question simply
by raising it...
in which Achilles imagineshe has answered the question simply
by raising it...
[20]
[20]
IT is
the
mos
t ext
raor
dina
ry su
bstit
utio
n: sa
ns M
erci
la B
elle
Dam
e dr
aws a
ship
too
late
to sa
ve th
e dr
owni
ng w
itch.
IT is
the
mos
t ext
raor
dina
ry su
bstit
utio
n: sa
ns M
erci
la B
elle
Dam
e dr
aws a
ship
too
late
to sa
ve th
e dr
owni
ng w
itch.
[21]
[21]
THE DEVIL says look. No Bird says see. The Devil says guesswho.
The worldover.
The part that loved, the part that was mortal—is
already dead.
THE DEVIL says look. No Bird says see. The Devil says guesswho.
The worldover.
The part that loved, the part that was mortal—is
already dead.
[22]
[22]
& S
OO
N, s
omet
hing
mor
e te
rrib
le, s
omet
hing
mor
e tr
ue a
bea
utifu
l girl
who
se fe
athe
rs a
re o
bscu
red
by th
efa
ll
of th
e be
autif
ul fi
lmst
rip
of y
our
sins (
whi
ch is
why
it
is th
e Id
es o
f Aug
ust &
the
impe
ccab
le li
ons t
hey
dont
wee
p
& S
OO
N, s
omet
hing
mor
e te
rrib
le, s
omet
hing
mor
e tr
ue a
bea
utifu
l girl
who
se fe
athe
rs a
re o
bscu
red
by th
efa
ll
of th
e be
autif
ul fi
lmst
rip
of y
our
sins (
whi
ch is
why
it
is th
e Id
es o
f Aug
ust &
the
impe
ccab
le li
ons t
hey
dont
wee
p
[23]
[23]
FAIL Achilles says I cant. FailAchilles says I never.
FAIL Achilles says I cant. FailAchilles says I never.
[24]
[24]
WH
EN th
e G
od w
as so
me
unkn
own
brig
ht b
oy w
ho c
lear
ly
knew
a h
awk
his m
etho
d of
kno
win
g go
es so
met
hing
like
this
fuck
it
WH
EN th
e G
od w
as so
me
unkn
own
brig
ht b
oy w
ho c
lear
ly
knew
a h
awk
his m
etho
d of
kno
win
g go
es so
met
hing
like
this
fuck
it
[25]
[25]
THIS is his/tory. You are the final hope of Greece. You are rapidly
becoming the brightest object in the hot sky. What
do you hear. What do you hear & see in the Sunday watercolour. Four
tornup blackbirds & in thisevolution let me
tell you about mercy—
THIS is his/tory. You are the final hope of Greece. You are rapidly
becoming the brightest object in the hot sky. What
do you hear. What do you hear & see in the Sunday watercolour. Four
tornup blackbirds & in thisevolution let me
tell you about mercy—
[26]
[26]
IT b
egin
s lik
e th
is I/
did
nt in
tend
: the
wre
cked
moo
n ha
ulin
g in
ano
ther
Fri
day
nigh
t on
the T
V sc
reen
la
Belle
Dam
e in
a w
hite
dre
ss o
n a
gorg
eous
BM
W
mot
orbi
ke e
xpre
ssio
nles
s aro
und
your
tors
o lik
e a
mak
eshi
ft cr
oss y
our
cock
stra
inin
g to
forg
et th
e bl
ue
yolk
bet
wee
n he
r th
ighs
her
imm
acul
ate
brea
sts s
he is
th
ere
to b
e ha
d
IT b
egin
s lik
e th
is I/
did
nt in
tend
: the
wre
cked
moo
n ha
ulin
g in
ano
ther
Fri
day
nigh
t on
the T
V sc
reen
la
Belle
Dam
e in
a w
hite
dre
ss o
n a
gorg
eous
BM
W
mot
orbi
ke e
xpre
ssio
nles
s aro
und
your
tors
o lik
e a
mak
eshi
ft cr
oss y
our
cock
stra
inin
g to
forg
et th
e bl
ue
yolk
bet
wee
n he
r th
ighs
her
imm
acul
ate
brea
sts s
he is
th
ere
to b
e ha
d
[27]
[27]
LOV
ESIC
K w
ith a
mou
thfu
l of c
hick
en
bone
s Ach
illes
sits
cro
ssle
gged
with
a m
urde
r.
(Sin
ging
as t
hey
die,
& fe
athe
rs.)
I do
nt b
elie
ve
in a
nyth
ing
but h
e sa
ys I’
m su
re I’
ve si
nned
.
LOV
ESIC
K w
ith a
mou
thfu
l of c
hick
en
bone
s Ach
illes
sits
cro
ssle
gged
with
a m
urde
r.
(Sin
ging
as t
hey
die,
& fe
athe
rs.)
I do
nt b
elie
ve
in a
nyth
ing
but h
e sa
ys I’
m su
re I’
ve si
nned
.
[28]
[28]
LETS say la Belle—who with the tenderness
of volcanoes will be the heart of so many men
—slaughters herself in the sheets. The rented God flounders,
in all directions/away from yourself—
LETS say la Belle—who with the tenderness
of volcanoes will be the heart of so many men
—slaughters herself in the sheets. The rented God flounders,
in all directions/away from yourself—
[29]
[29]
I wor
k th
e gu
ilt in
: har
d th
en so
ft un
til m
y he
art i
tfli
ps li
ke a
tige
r: w
ho th
e he
ll sh
e is
& w
here
/ ar
e yo
u.I w
ork
the
guilt
in: h
ard
then
soft
until
my
hear
t it
flips
like
a ti
ger:
who
the
hell
she
is &
whe
re/
are
you.
[30]
[30]
NOW its a new day, 2 codas & a diamond certificate full of promises
he/ cant keep or is choosing notto be able there is No Bird in the
theatrical sky despite its bruises you stand on four legs, with the words
or blonde screams falling down around your ankles
NOW its a new day, 2 codas & a diamond certificate full of promises
he/ cant keep or is choosing notto be able there is No Bird in the
theatrical sky despite its bruises you stand on four legs, with the words
or blonde screams falling down around your ankles
[31]
[31]
TH
ERE
mus
t be
som
e w
orld
whe
re it
doe
snt h
appe
n lik
e/th
is. T
here
mus
t be
som
e w
orld
(sid
elon
g)
(sid
e by
side
) (a
lione
ss a
mon
gst t
he c
orns
talk
s) (t
he lu
bric
ated
m
oon,
it sh
ines
so..
.
whe
re th
e w
hole
of i
t/ c
omes
rig
ht
Like
a k
nife
that
bea
rs th
e tw
o of
them
acr
oss t
he se
a: e
very
lo
ve a
ffair
has
its t
ense
, it m
ust t
ake
plac
e in
tim
e.
Yet t
here
are
way
s to
elid
e th
ese
law
s...
TH
ERE
mus
t be
som
e w
orld
whe
re it
doe
snt h
appe
n lik
e/th
is. T
here
mus
t be
som
e w
orld
(sid
elon
g)
(sid
e by
side
) (a
lione
ss a
mon
gst t
he c
orns
talk
s) (t
he lu
bric
ated
m
oon,
it sh
ines
so..
.
whe
re th
e w
hole
of i
t/ c
omes
rig
ht
Like
a k
nife
that
bea
rs th
e tw
o of
them
acr
oss t
he se
a: e
very
lo
ve a
ffair
has
its t
ense
, it m
ust t
ake
plac
e in
tim
e.
Yet t
here
are
way
s to
elid
e th
ese
law
s...
[32]
[32]
SOMETIMES Achilles he caught the knife edge of it.
A No Bird that had disappeared down the long slide of her throat that sans Merci she had madly
swallowed to spare him, & he would stare at her. Who are she says anyway what do you want to be
SOMETIMES Achilles he caught the knife edge of it.
A No Bird that had disappeared down the long slide of her throat that sans Merci she had madly
swallowed to spare him, & he would stare at her. Who are she says anyway what do you want to be
Emily is passionate about artist books, the rediscovery of Mississippi poet besmilr brigham, the sexual politics of meat, the limits of Achilles’ honesty & the problem of Chaucer’s spring, unposted love letters, cannibal chick-ens & a ship too late to save the drowning witch. She is also the author of two books of poetry, directions for fl ying (Furniture Press 2010) & 13 Ways of Happily: Books 1 & 2 (Parlor Press 2011), & some very handsome chapbooks from horseless press, Little Red Leaves, and dancing girl.
This little red leaves textile series chapbook was designed and sewn by Dawn Pendergast in Houston, Texas.
Emily is passionate about artist books, the rediscovery of Mississippi poet besmilr brigham, the sexual politics of meat, the limits of Achilles’ honesty & the problem of Chaucer’s spring, unposted love letters, cannibal chick-ens & a ship too late to save the drowning witch. She is also the author of two books of poetry, directions for fl ying (Furniture Press 2010) & 13 Ways of Happily: Books 1 & 2 (Parlor Press 2011), & some very handsome chapbooks from horseless press, Little Red Leaves, and dancing girl.
This little red leaves textile series chapbook was designed and sewn by Dawn Pendergast in Houston, Texas.