The Paris Review

Metropolitan

1. So do you read literature?2. Yeah.3. Placated and ventilated4. In the room’s relative dimness,5. She waited for the moment6. To pass.7. Then they saw the medieval8. Knights, whose9. Did not seem comfortable.10. Would you like something11. To eat?12. Yeah, indefinitely.13. She practiced hinging at the hips14. To correct15. A historical inaccuracy, the16. Hypermobility of the spine.17. A man tipped his forehead on18. A windowpane, next19. Had difficulty finding words.20. I still had these problems21. With my alveoli,22. She informed the doctor …23. What else do you need to know?24. He shrugged.25. She never saw him again.26. Nothing is quite analogous.27. The problem was amorphous.28. Data accretes like islands29. In Scotland!30. Everybody wants to buy.31. Even her32. Stern nurse.33. She had asked for assistance34. The predictable thing occurred.35. On the angle of a felt36. Mountainside called37. Chimney Rock38. Her boyfriend began to slip …39. It wasn’t just the lack40. Of proper footwear.41. Walking poles42. Afforded him stability43. On the mound of dirt44. Which implied the ground45. Like sulfuric ash.46. And it was.47. It’s good to have a purpose,48. An end goal,49. His guide firmly stated.50. When your refrigerator breaks,51. It’s good to have a job52. Even if it entails53. Buying a new refrigerator54. And then the old one rears55. Up again.56. Let’s go through the American Wing57. And then to ancient Egypt,58. Where they filmed59. That scene.60. Two lovers reunite.61. Are you in the elevator?62. Yeah.63. Oh, that’s where?64. Go outside, she urged.65. Look.66. Every person is wearing67. Brown leather mules.68. Hard not to notice the69. Sulfuric smell70. With no effect71. On said leather mules.72. Every millisecond73. Value is processed.74. Every millipede possesses75. Numerous legs76. And shuffles in like an elevator77. Or toilet paper78. A white American child79. Like Goldilocks80. Looks around81. Her arms82. In every luxury campground83. With unlimited sinks.84. Among other tabulations of85. Wealth and value.86. It all happens on the inside,87. And yet it’s worthless88. If you don’t perceive it.89. On the other hand, they x-rayed90. My lungs just once,91. And on the phone92. Told me93. They didn’t find anything of94. Note95. Besides lungs, of course.

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Contributors
MOSAB ABU TOHA is a poet, short-story writer, and essayist. His second poetry book, Forest of Noise, is forthcoming from Knopf in fall 2024. REBECCA BENGAL is the author of Strange Hours. DEEPA BHASTHI is a writer and critic who translates Kannadalan

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