PROPERTY OF THE UNIVERSE: The Book of Nos and other Disembodied Poetics

By M.L. Elder

Property of the Universe is the true story of an immortal sphynx, Nosferatu-950, told through a collection of poetry from his temporary owner and partner in crime. Nos and ME, his recorder/keeper, are both destined for the long sleep of cryonics together and have miles to go before they finish their final journey into the void.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: Dec 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781977260437

M.L. Elder

M.L. Elder graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in English and a focus on the writings of Jack Kerouac and The Beat Generation. He also attended Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, studied poetics with Anne Waldman and the ghost of Allen Ginsberg, and investigated the word-as-a-virus concept of William S. Burroughs with James Grauerholz in Lawrence, Kansas. He owns and operates Hollywood Brotherhood, a company specializing in creating and casting sterling silver jewelry. He paints when he doesn’t have the patience for writing. Beyond that, he has also had a 20-year flying career both in the military and the private sector. The poems contained in this book were written on airplanes, in tents in the Middle East, in hotel rooms, on flight lines, on the floors of airports, in the cockpit while flying, and occasionally at his home base in Las Vegas, Nevada. While words have constantly paved the roads M.L. Elder travels, he has yet to reach his literary destination. More to come.

Book preview

PROPERTY OF THE UNIVERSE

The Book of Nos and other Disembodied Poetics

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2023 M.L. Elder

v3.0

This is a work of poeticized fiction. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Hollywood Brotherhood Co.

ISBN: 978-1-9772-6043-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022919428

Cover Photo © 2023 M.L. Elder. All rights reserved - used with permission.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Table of Contents

I.

The Book of Nos

II.

New PoeTRY

for Pyrotechnicians

III.

Old SONgs

for Sirens

IV.

Closing Thoughts

from a Dying Breed

I.

The Book of Nos

Nos and Robot:

Beyond the Singularity & Betting on the Messenger

and other Disembodied Poetics

by M.L. Elder

Dedicated to Sinclair, Sherry, and Worasanan for your generosity and kindness to a very special cat for so many bright years…

Thank You.

1 -

Prologue:

NOS AND ROBOT

BEYOND THE SINGULARITY &

BETTING ON THE MESSENGER

the mountain god (Sanshin)

the guardian of villages,

providing security and peace.

the denizen god

the heavenly god,

the mountain god

acting as number one

the earthly god, this mountain spirit.

appearing to the mortal realm

as a wise old warrior

accompanied by

his messenger, a fearless tiger

with unlimited knowledge

of all kingdoms—

(god, human, and animal).

but, this begs the question…

who is the real supreme entity here,

and who is actually the companion?

2 -

Earth:

you can never be too careful

in this cold, dark world

a black coat

a pale blue dot

and a suit of work

fringe.

enter alone

fly alone

find a navigator

find a home.

3 -

Pilot:

the sky is calling

the old wasp—

ripped from bonds

dragged into thick air

beside you

an empty seat,

a throne

black leather boots

and nobody home.

4 -

White Sands:

exhausted hunter

junction arroyo

water flows

air flows

blood

flows.

sniffing the air,

the hunter

lets go.to

let go

thunder—

15 seconds

is there any meaning?

we may never know

and yet, we dance…

for 15 seconds.

5 -

Nosferatu-950:

hands sweating

fingers tingling

eyes filled

swallow, deep breath.

set upon this platform

papers and claws

signed by noon

shipped by train.

burned into black

the blue shape of heart

and named, today

Nosferatu-950.

6 -

Paradise:

he is,

an angelic voice

against a wall of noise

he talks

with fractions

purely unfiltered

in a room full of candles

beside a roulette wheel

against a mountain

of cedar and dirt

and

on the 22nd floor

of neon sky

an empire

rising.

7 -

Amman:

and yet,

it is necessary

to travel.

leaving

while he slept

eyes open

slightly

displeased

slightly

nothing at all.

there was an intensity

to this distant voice

in those days

of chaos:

global intensity.

"Have you ever gotten everything?"

Would you even know it, if you had?

he held up the knife

blade to the reflecting sky

fire in images

nowhere tonight.

8 -

Battle:

returning

home—

he is there

fighting stillness

fighting hard.

we rushed to the well

we tried, everything

life in fragments,

is still.life

on the boat

he puts his head down

on my arm, and we sail

to nowhere special

together.

and then there were three,

three soft jewels of time

happiness, floating

toward nothing special

again.

we battle

again.

9 -

War:

leaving

returning

and resting

on eternal distant shores.

he was,

always there

on the wind-worn cliffs

of desolate western waters

a lighthouse beacon.

we think about

people, and things

at night; in rough seas

how hard it is to balance two lives

across two worlds, between

three veils—

into the shadows

and darkness