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Industry Takes Root

Posted on October 28, 2011October 28, 2011 by Isaac Dwyer
A boy stands dutifully at his work,
Flutt’ring fingers dance through the needles there,
and takes a breath. His Watcher whips the boy’s
back, the fact’ry stops to listen. Taken
Control, has this horrid new Industry.
A rushed touch, a floating hand to see far
beyond the sparse brush set up below the
quiv’ring landscape, now fearing a harsh jar
to the nape of its defenseless, re-run
of a preconceived needle track – so fast.
So fast it jumps, leaps, from its vile perch
to insert talons, cuffing unblessed arms
to slav’ry, and its needle track. It hurts,
punct’ring bulging resistant veins, like yarn
they twist-twine around torn wrists, and so vast.
So vast, these floating hands, use quills sprouting
gangrene lies, with oil and sweat as ink,
dip nibs in pockets of those unhearing;
Five hundred milligrams of bitter pink;
Those questions vanished fast, it truly works!
		but – it leaves, Blank.
	Too much grime and blood leaves windows smokèd,
like brown-stone factories, shattered fingers,
Left in weaving, crossing needles, pinning yarn
to crossed flesh. Nail bed bit out by thread.
Pre-bleached cloth hung by consumption, floating
needle-track, scar-raising quills. Star-gazing
Thinkers feel the deep-rooted bore, and the
watchers of them stand flat and still, ripping
men and women to shreds by insertion.

What is Parallax?

Parallax is a premier high school student-edited literary magazine, featuring original fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays and screenplays, as well as book reviews and author interviews. Edited by the Creative Writing Department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, the magazine accepts submissions from high school students worldwide. Read more.

Forthcoming

Interviews with Jane Wong and Eliot Triechel, and a wonderful new batch of stories and poems!

Read Past Issues

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Parallax 12 (2009)
Parallax 13 (2010)
Parallax 14 (2011)
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