The Burgess Shale

Flatlining since the Furongian
Where the ocean became atmosphere
The mountains write their history books
And footnoted civilization chips away at translation

With ears pressed against specimens
A geologic gunshot rings out
Echoing through empty valleys
and falling crushing upon all heads
Fusing them into rock
A black carbon film
But only if someone is there, knocking

Montage

Green orb-glowflash
Mammal light
Eyes droop skin reflects
A grasshopper burning mid-jump*
Frightened textbook on fire
A mulched graveyard
Sucking a stuffed animal saliva dripping
Knuckles around ridged circles
Teeth blaring out the new questions
A fossil falling from the sky

*when i was young i put a grasshopper into a candle the kind where the wax and flame sit in glass and the grasshopper tried to jump out and he jumped through the flame and instantly died in fact he instantly turned black burnt to a crunch and it was disturbing i still think about it too too much and although we can say it’s only a grasshopper Ohhhhhhh say it’s only a grasshopper in fact it was the peak of human cruelty in fact it’s a good reason to fear hell it’s a good reason to think i was an unlovable child with a cruel and horrible mind sodden with evil images and ominous impressions but in fact i was dearly loved and in fact the grasshopper needed to die for me to learn it was wrong and for it to stick in my mind like a neuron tattoo for all time to ensure i behave but how selfish of me to do it and need this lesson all the same in fact i wish i could take it back and find some other way to learn to be Good without burning a grasshopper black with sodden death

Matthew Taylor Blais is a filmmaker and poet currently based in Vancouver, Canada. Learn more at Sital Cinema.