about “Zone”

This sonnet sequence was written during a bus trip that began in Greenfield, MA and ended — approximately three and a half to four hours later — in Albany, NY. The text is composed exclusively of language observed during the trip, e.g., billboard taglines, road signs, bumper stickers, etc.

The process of writing “Zone” was an experiment in observed abstraction, or “abstracting from life,” akin to de Kooning’s compositional process, with the obvious exception that both the observed (language in the form of type) and the observer (author) were often moving at variable, yet high rates of speed.

The title is taken from a Guston painting, an image of which was conjured and kept in mind by my observation of the word “zone,” more than once, while on the road. I owe a debt to Kerouac for the dash-method punctuation, as well as to the corresponding dashes of lane dividers painted on the road itself. You might say that both the loose sonnet structure and the sequence’s epigraph were matters of meaningful coincidence, as I’d been reading Berrigan and Stein before boarding the bus to cut across the Northeastern American landscape, a landscape relentlessly signed by a textually oriented culture.

Zone

for Jess, Sarah, Langston and Archie

“If it seems I have little to do but move ideas: / a problematic of being there.”

—Chuck Stein, “The Cumulus”

Come — listen together — on the go to corner

clearance — energy valley only — textile

hour slow — hidden glass — junk

falls west to North Adams — sale lane real

estate — Mohawk island — here

Miner St. — rotary lounge — info ahead

closed — doubled weigh

1 mile — phoenix south wisdom entering

call box call box call river —

weigh next right limit — it’s true —

area services — sanitary buckle up —

stop chemical freestyle — Mill River open

Whately — use attractions — it’s ok

to curse at heavy information —

Apportioned diamond — proud to be an American —

Motors project — mile police — only you know

long view pioneer — south speed music

wanted and available — wines and lodging — tiger

next press show turns — Tom Western —

open shell — attractions one way north —

maintenance designs — home office

exit — charburger yes we’re open liquors —

office dialysis — WWII banquet — Angelo’s

Old South Street lot — long term other —

stop stop in — pan staff — hours wanted the people —

sub pots — anytime SooRa — Lucky Nails —

market limit — parking for gas — center time deliveries—

laser grandstands entering and left —

Wrong emerging speed — south Oxbow — entering

max gross — Brooklyn sterling when gov’t lies —

war is not a scenic project clean —

class of 1964 — south options access —

Ingleside — Wyckoff — lift this no welcome

salida de velocity — Uno 65 —

iron suites — exposition it’s the law —

bridge detour vision — custom country —

Chicopee digital access depot —

civic center mercy on route to exit —

yield time bronze closeouts

and recycle — hemp let it grow —

universal light support opens their hearts

for your mobile balance —

Hourly Springfield — green line people —

memories people — think of it as one

zone — start talking before cold is the new hot —

five star ride — get connected —

hopelessly about change — art lab lines —

independence — gather a group and get northeast —

entrance the gas — home of some new bus —

your public only — welcome going —

I can’t see you — main tone hour — where the news

hits home system — Agawam —

coffee break north — and begin: Yankee

river border — callbox NY — left accepted

official swift — no turns available —

communications speed —

Ramp up — permanent logistics disabled and yield —

Je me souviens — 911—

low flying planes next state police — discharging

fast — Maplewood Ice pike — Albany 73 —

click it or security — 14’-2”—

breakdown town keep courteous — stay only stopping —

Wal-Mart manic plaza — dew to protect

and feel good about must — reduced

salt merge entering buff — US Mail —

road work keep slow in 1936 —

Tonawana — transport express sport —

rock gone Berkshires — picking up

9 miles ahead — pay wide official —

The Clark has right of way —

Quality fuels modular traffic — Happy 50^th Leanne —

play ground — drop-box west — High St. —

clover October heart xing —

one way speed hotel — Lucky Nails —

java moving — Cracker Jack chez nous —

electrical labs — hats & jewels — 4 HR art studio —

Housatonic dead end — jacuzzi century —

Bombay laurel children — acres edge

Shakespeare & Co. use extreme caution —

Police officer ahead — vacancy west —

bump — the summer marker — limit only

living commercial — horses prohibited —

Taconic Ave. — Morse 45 — moss code gables —

be a litter lugger — fresh eggs—

Here to corner sunset use turn signals — Tanglewood —

15 minute parking worldwide — the hand

of man a table gallery — Lenox cellar — owner church —

1767 — junction color sanctuary — eyebrow

parlor days — fine Italian water resource —

motorcar curves — internet breakfast — special rates —

open sun — rise amazing affordable asters —

south mountain 1897 — designers

posted Zion — Shaker Hill — any time heavy —

South St. north — cross walk creative plan —

colt place apple tree crowne — Melville’s arrowhead —

Park square — class market — drive-thru wealth

management — center community command —

independent living — juvenile court —

Space available — on a roll networks — we deliver for you

speedy world — 1 hour spirits — variety —

temporary oasis and Park Place custom —

you are here — preventative maintenance

and clean machines — try to breakdown concrete —

heart motel — Grape St. — the friendly winds —

surveying — gaming — donate life —

shaker exotic — no no through traffic —

wild spirit liberty machine shop —

Francis Ave. — drop ahead — pass not do — 5% grade —

impeach the chimp — I am pagan

and I vote — why don’t more people wear capes?

Grove rock falling — welcome

to the Empire State — handheld brickyard —

Drive Johnson — convenience official since 1925 —

antique spirits — high visibility —

liberty perfection gifts with care — honk if you’re impatient —

Is it 2008 yet? Bishops appeal thank you —

Columbia County — Budweiser sale the pillars —

Ezra gates — Howe caverns — installation

protective on 20 — speed zone —

mobile creeks — available in energy valley lots —

race fans — any information owner —

money tractor — Brainard — west south north —

driveways Keatsing — schoolhouse bliss —

foundation modular century ahead —

yes we’re open impact — saved by the blood of Ace —

use low gear — I’ll just quit breathing —

Patchwork — share the low on faith — supreme $3.19 —

mulch — topsoil — seven oaks Shodack — blackberry action —

leadership for sale — food shack style —

Beaver Rd. — cedar hacker’s Albany 8 —

woolens — tartans — piping supplies made easy —

guaranteed lowest systems — baby goats —

music in the park — Dear Edwina

hazard electrocution — EZ on / EZ off — health —

free 6 miles urgent message express —

Hudson Valley atlas — mile 73 — the power

of being there — time to evolve alive — you never know —

progressive foi grois — attractions — exit — Empire —

Dutch apple weed and seed community —

Green St. — Liberty St. — this is my cart.

6.27.06 / Happy Birthday to Frank O’Hara