​Gastromancer Feeds & Feeds, by Rikki Santer

The Ventriloquist and Crier in the Moor, by Paul Klee (Switzerland) 1923

​Gastromancer Feeds & Feeds

The mechanism is squeezed, births animation--
balloon mouth floats upon a checkerboard moor,

says one thing & thinks another.  Rolling yelps
pass for words, tweeted grunts carbonate &

swell.  You are gut diviner, fill empty planets
of heads, temper other bellies with the politicking

of voiceover.  You periscope from host body, craft
the other side of hollow, wrap slippery eels

around punchlines & master the push of lever/
pull of cord to make others do what you want--

brute of your colourful ways.

Rikki Santer

This poem is from upcoming collection, Drop Jaw.

Rikki Santer's work has appeared in various publications including Ms. Magazine, Poetry East, Margie, Hotel Amerika, The American Journal of Poetry, Slab, Crab Orchard Review, RHINO, Grimm, Slipstream, Midwest Review and The Main Street Rag. This poem is from her upcoming 8th collection, Drop Jaw, inspired by ventriloquism.   Please contact her through her website:   www.rikkisanter.com