The Poetry Marathon

I’m sticking buttons into the shape
of a hot air balloon on a wooden sign

all pastel colours because I feel
like anything more would detract

from the loftiness
I’m practicing doing things

without overanalysing them
so I’m not too worried

about the hot air balloon
being slightly off to one side

even then I think
how does it stay afloat

with just a flame underneath
how does it move anywhere

but up and down
I’m sure there are explanations

but I’m busy sticking buttons
into the shape of a hot air balloon

I fold as easy as an origami square
my legs in half at my knees

and again at my hips
my arms crease and tuck

into each other
until I’m a cube

I fill with water as easy as an origami cube
but watch how I don’t burst

trying to make sense
fascinated with living
science / poetry

go on and separate us
let’s see which parts of ourselves
are the same and let’s see

who moves the furthest
when they’re in pieces
on their own

characteristic features include involute (inwardly
curved) petioles and upright leaves

a species of sundew it is unique
within its genus in being endemic to New Zealand

specific epithet
drosera stenopetala

found poem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosera_stenopetala

he tells me the technical name
is cardiac calcification
that it can be genetic

but if I cut down on saturated fats
and smoke less and exercise more
I can prevent the progression

I look at him and he doesn’t realise
that my heart’s going to be hard
regardless of what I eat

we watch the lake turn green
it’s not something we see happening

we can only tell it’s happened
by knowing that earlier

the lake wasn’t this green
the algae –and here is where

I struggle to write it—materialises
right out of the water

and before we realise
we can’t see the lake bed

I think: if I were to jump in
without seeing the bottom

I might hurt myself
or I might be fine

straight down from the heavens
I swear it! he says as if
we might not believe him

the lightsmith himself
has forged this one
you’ve never seen

anything like it
we follow him outside
and he points to the horizon

whiter than the sun and vertical
as if holding up the sky
the sun pillar against purple

a halo straightened out
like an arm straining
when the hands are clamped

together in prayer
I told you he says
it’s special this one

when people hear your name they think
of heroes and villains
of all the colours that you’re not
stubborn
you hold onto yourself so tightly that you can’t
let anyone in
krypton we can make you stronger
krypton you’re floating alone
krypton make room for another
krypton please drop your pride

complete chance really
that I was walking past when he took
samples from the furnace

stopped me in my tracks
it’s like ultramarine but bluer
think cobalt but bluer

and bluer like takes-your-breath-blue
a stable blue a blue that you can rely on
a blue you can’t stop looking at

or haven’t you ever tried to create
something but stumbled upon something
more beautiful instead