Welcome to the Fortress of Solitude

for Bill Merricle By Chris Toll Rain fell into my father’s hot chocolate. I inherited his blood. It’s gasoline. He didn’t forget to give me his tears. A ninja does a double somersault and lands on top of the head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. She buries her spear in the dinosaur’s right eye. An Apache [...]

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I Take the Blue Pill and the Red Pill

Three Poems by Chris Toll 1. Perfect Love When stars steal the sky, after the electronic campfires are quiet, a collection of antimatter logarithms (BKA Jesus) walks through every doorway, stands over every bed, and lays a singing hand on every brow, “O giant in chains, O darling, let the eternal divine feminine energy awaken [...]

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Is the Bear in the Woods a Catholic?

By Chris Toll A friend of the backbeat is a friend of mine. The hard times are behind me, 60 is the new 16, and 28 is the new 53. A priest opens a door, opens his black umbrella, and steps into a hymn. I hate reality, the Society of Susans finds a trophy in [...]

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No Blues Blues #43

By Chris Toll I call my sickness the Guest. The Guest will speak now. On the steps of the Winter Palace, the guards turned and fired their carbines at the Reptilian Overlords. I used to be the King of Hell. The Overmind of a praying mantis loves your Higher Self. A robin retires from a [...]

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I Can’t Stand Along the Watchtower

By Chris Toll Many are stalled, but few are frozen. Emily sits on the edge of my bed and says, “You can’t go on without an image from your dreams.” I throw my saddle on the spider’s back. Why is a path in antipathy? Why is Ant in Antichrist? Anger drives a midsize luxury sedan [...]

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