NightWriter

Excerpt:  “Thomas Tessier puts a fresh spin on the empty old house theme in the memorable ‘In Praise of Folly,’ in which the lonely protagonist pursues his fascination with bizarre structures to the Adirondacks.  Tessier subtly raises chills even as the tale proceeds to its inevitable and dark conclusion.”

Starred review for this excellent anthology, which also includes stories by Liz Hand, Ramsey Campbell, Kelly Link and Joe Hill.

JOURNEY FROM NEW HAVEN

The Connecticut Turnpike
Stretches out on the edge
Of Long Island Sound
Like a flexed arm or
A river shying at the sea.

This is as close as we come.

We slither into traffic,
The pitched city now
Immovably behind — there.
Then: the city gone.

Where had we planned to go?
There are too many answers.

The cool smut of indifference
Conditions the air we breathe:
We say nothing
For an hour or so
Until, at last,
The radio informs
Us that we are alive.
I’m glad to hear the news.

Still: a dull clamor,
Rehearsals for hysteria.
I remember you hovering,
Panicky, in the kitchen.

The toll-collector
Wears a bleak grin
As a kind of protection.

Now your head lolls
Against the steamy glass.

The towns mark our time,
Each one fastened to
The earth like a signal flag.

I want to tell you:
We are always moving
– Why is it — this is
As close as we can come.

We drift down into
The outskirts of Manhattan –
New dawns…dead letters.

The rain beats down, amazed
At its own perseverance.

(c) 1972 Thomas Tessier
Abandoned Homes  Gallery Press, Dublin, Ireland

http://www.standpointmag.co.uk./node/390/full