FromHellCreekAnthology

ByJ.T.Welsch,withillustrationsbyDominicEvans WhenTriceratopsprorusranawayandthrewme,IwenttoJudithRiver.ThereImetalush, Whosefatherjustdeceasedlefthimafortune.Hemarriedmewhenrootsick.Mylifewas wretched.Ayearpassedandonedaytheyfoundhimdead.Thatmademerich.Imovedonto Oldman.AfteratimemetDaspletosaurus,villain.ImovedontoDinosaurPark. ThesefourpoemscomefromHellCreekAnthology,aconceptualsequencewrittenoverEdgarLee MastersSpoonRiverAnthology(1915).Theprojectwasconceivedpartlytotestthebordersof seriousnessandsillinessinconceptualism,bybringingmychildishobsessionwithdinosaursintoastrict appropriativeprocess.WhereMastersbookcomprises244beyondthegravemonologuesfor residentsofthefictionalSpoonRiver,HellCreekAnthologyrewrites26ofthesepoems,firstlyby substitutingeachresidentsnamewiththatofadinosaurspeciesfoundinthefossilformationatHell Creek,Montana.Whiletheabridgedsequenceattemptstoreplicate,onitsownscale,thepiecemeal antinarrativestructureofMasters,eachpoemposeditsownnewchallengesbyextensionofthe primaryconceit,emphasisingthereciprocitybetweenthegenerationofmaterialbyconstraintand generationofnewrulesbythematerialitself. Followingtheinitialreplacementofdeadhumancharacterswithanextinctspeciesofdinosaur, substitutionsforbodilyortechnologicalreferencesofferafairlyobviousintensificationoftheviolencein Masterstext,whileworkingagainstthelogicalprinciplethatdinosaurs,iftheycouldspeak,might thereforekeeptheirsocialrolesaslawyer,banker,marshal,ortowndrunk.Mentionofgeographical locations,fromnearbyIllinoistownstoEuropeancities,calledforamorerestrictivereconfiguration, incorporatingotherfossilformationsfromthesameMaastrichtianstageoftheLateCretaceous.Inthis way,oneoftheprojectsmorepointedoutcomesisitsemphasisonthehaphazarddevelopmentof modernglobalculturalcentres(and,thus,margins),wherethesignifiersParisandItalyare exchangedforfossilsitesinUzbekistanandMongolia,forinstance,alongwiththetranslationof accompanyingdetailsandbitsofforeignlanguageinthesourcetext. Beyondthis,Iamwaryofcommittingtheprojecttoamorespecificsocial,intellectual,orartisticsense ofpurpose.Mygreatercommitmentistothepossibilityofplaywhichmakesnospecialclaimtoeither innocence,irreverence,orthestillmorebanalhopeofhavingmadesomeonethink.Inthisregard,the workisretroactivelyinspiredbyKennethGoldsmithsrecentdistinctionbetweensmartdumband dumbdumb,whichchallengescritiquesofconceptualismthatwouldimposehiddenor(presumably) unconsciouspretensionstocleverness.(TheAwl,July2013)Mycollaborationwithpopillustrator DominicEvansonrenderingHellCreekAnthologyasasequentialvisualobjecthopefullyoffersa furthertwistontheinitialquestioningofsmartseriousnessinitsplayfuldesign.

PARONYCHODONEXPLANATUS Yourattention,Tyrannosaurusrex,presidentofthehoardUgrosaurus,editoroftheArgus Lambeosaurus,pastoroftheleadingchurchAlbertosaurus,severaltimesMayorofHellCreekAnd finally,allofyou,membersoftheSocialPurityClubYourattentiontoBaryonyxsdyingroar, StandingwiththeheroicremnantOfEotyrannussguardonMontBarremianAtthebattlefieldof Wessex,WhenRhabdodon,theOrnithopod,calledtothem:Surrender,braveTheropods!There atcloseofday,withthebattlehopelesslylost,AndpackofbullsnolongerthearmyOfthegreat EotyrannusStreamedfromthefieldlikeraggedstripsOfthundercloudsinthestorm.Well,what BaryonyxroaredtoRhabdodonEretheOrnithopodfurymadesmooththebrowofthehillAgainstthe sinkinglightofdayRoarItoyou,andallofyou,Andtoyou,Oplanet.AndIchargeyoutoscratchit Uponmystone.

LEPTOCERATOPSGRACILIS WhenTriceratopsprorusranawayandthrewme,IwenttoJudithRiver.ThereImetalush,Whose fatherjustdeceasedlefthimafortune.Hemarriedmewhenrootsick.Mylifewaswretched.Ayear passedandonedaytheyfoundhimdead.Thatmademerich.ImovedontoOldman.Afteratimemet Daspletosaurus,villain.ImovedontoDinosaurPark.AwrinkledmagnateWentmadaboutmeso anotherfortune.Hediedonenightrightatmyfeet,youknow.(Isawhispurplefaceforyears thereafter.)Therewasalmostascandal.Imovedon,ThistimetoNemegt.Iwasnowanadultfemale, Insidious,subtle,versedintheplanetandrich.MysweetdennearTariaNirvaanBecameacenterfor allsortsofcreatures,Singers,poets,dandies,artists,nobles,WherewespokeUzbekandSpanish, Mongolian,English.IwedGrafItemirus,nativeofNavoi.WewenttoBissekty.Hepoisonedme,I think.NowintheMozoristonbonebed,overlookingTheshorewhereyoungTiktaalikdreamednew worlds,Seewhattheyscratched:GrafinyaItemirusSorovabadiytinchlikuzbe.

DROMAEOSAURUSALBERTENSIS TheywouldhavestampededmeHadInotbeensecretlyhurriedawayTothepenatLance.AndyetI wasgoingpeacefullyhome,Carryingmyroot,alittleworseforit,WhenCaenagnathus,themarshal, haltedme,CalledmearootwreckedBatodonandshookme,And,whenIcursedhimforit,swungat meWiththatProhibitionloadedclawAllthisbeforeIslithimopen.Theywouldhavechargedme exceptforthis:Mylawyer,Paronychodon,washelpingtolandOldTyrannosaurusforwreckingthe hoard,AndthejudgewasafriendofT.rexAndwantedhimtoescape,AndParonychodonofferedto quitonT.rexForfivewintersinthepenforme.Andthebargainwasmade.IservedmytimeAnd learnedtoreadandsignal.

ANKYLOSAURUSMAGNIVENTRIS IfyoustoodjustfivefeettwoAndhadworkedyourwayasagrubclerk,Studyinglawbymoonlight Untilyoubecameanattorneyatlaw?Andthensupposethroughyourdiligence,Andregularchurch attendance,YoubecameattorneyforT.rex,Collectingdebtsandpromisenotes,Andrepresentingall thewidowsIntheProbateCourt?Andthroughitall,Theyjeeredatyoursize,andlaughedatyour scutesAndthelumponyourtail?AndthensupposeYoubecametheFormationJudge?And SaurornitholestesandParonychodon,AndGorgosaurus,andallthegiantsWhohadsneeredatyou, wereforcedtostandBeforeyouandsayYourHonorWell,dontyouthinkitwasnaturalThatI madeithardforthem?

AboutJTWelsch
J.T.WelschisLecturerinCreativeWritingandEnglishLiteratureatYorkStJohnUniversity.His poemshaveappearedinvariousjournals,anthologies,andthreechapbooks:Orchids(Salt,2010), Orchestra&Chorus(Holdfire,2012),andWaterloo(LikeThis,2012).SelectionsfromHellCreek Anthologyhavealsoappearedin3AMandFuselit.