Read “Cruise Control,” a New Poem by Eric Amling

Eric Amling's new poem, titled "Cruise Control," delves into a myriad of vivid and unsettling imagery. The poet paints a picture of strong emotional attachments to feedback, likening the self to a "remarkable botulism" and exploring themes of domesticity, decay, and the passage of time.

Throughout the poem, Amling presents a series of striking metaphors. These include rooms filled with taxidermy, firebombed galleries, and "kinetic afterglow" of explosions. The poet also touches upon the corrosive nature of urban environments, comparing the city to a "moving" rather than a "shaking" experience.

A recurring motif in the poem is the idea of a twisted DNA ladder, suggesting a complex interplay of genetics and environment. This is further illustrated by the comparison of a human face to a "tombstone of tongue," hinting at the profound impact of genetic makeup on individual identity.

The poem also explores the concept of solitude and estrangement, using visual metaphors such as "lime-green blood splatter" and "black silhouettes" to evoke a sense of isolation. The lines "As if you can take a sadness and moisturize it. Feel an estrangement like a ventriloquist's hand in the dressing room after an intense set" suggest a complex emotional landscape.

Despite the grim subject matter, Amling's poem is not without its moments of beauty. The poet finds solace in the "checkered flags" and "fuzzy dice" of a neon-lit nightlife, suggesting a bittersweet appreciation for the ephemeral pleasures of life. The final lines of the poem, describing war footage of "lime-green blood splatter" and the "freezer burn palate of the salt flats," leave a lasting impression of the poem's stark, haunting beauty.