Evan Nicholls Surreal-Absurd Sampler
“My work engages the surreal for two reasons: fun and ease. In writing, I haven’t found anything that comes as natural as the absurd and unnatural. Or as entertaining. Which is not to say that working like this is easy or easier— although, maybe, I don’t know— but that working like this is easy to love. You can spend hours on a funny little string of words and not break a sweat. And still be smiling. At the stupidest thing, a comedian outhouse. Medusa playing a slide whistle. And I find a lot of truth in this kind of fun.”
— Evan Nicholls
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TINY CROSSBOW
You are a knight wielding a tiny crossbow.
You have a job to defend the kingdom.
You carry your tiny crossbow.
Carrying your weapon is no small deed.
A LITTLE SONG IN THE TOOTH
The dentist is armed with a violin bow. This is how he makes the patients sing.
PARLOR TRICK
The napkin is a wipeable toucan. Your ear is a nibbled coin. All it takes is you, then me. Look— now I grew, from your toenail, an invisible toe.
WOW THE SERVICE HERE
Gale-force winds holding your hat for you.
TWO SEATS
after Rosebud Ben-Oni
The angel took up two seats on the train. The tuna crossed her fingers. The dart threw a billiard ball at itself. The peacock thought he was a rooster. ‘Good god,’ said the triceratops, sunbathing in the comet light.
HISTORY BUFF
‘I have one trillion swords.’
WALKING MY UNICORN
Meanwhile, my unicorn is just hitting puberty. I am also wearing my uniform: a scarf and a cap. My unicorn has not reached his final state. A bloody fang or a red lighthouse is growing from the front of his skull. I take the carrot out of my ankle holster. And the neighbors and their beagles watching. Jealous, and insane.
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TWO SEATS was previously published by HAD.
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EVAN NICHOLLS is a poet and collage artist from the peach, fox, horse and wine country of Virginia. He is the author of Holy Smokes (Ghost City Press), a chapbook of poems and collages. Presently, Evan is working on two full-length collections of poetry, one of which is based on a 12th century English folktale. You can find more of his work at enicholls.com.
