The Poetry Marathon

Lee planned the interaction months in advance,
she went over her performance in the mirror,
FLAWLESS, if Alex reciprocated similar feelings,
month’s of crushing equating to a perfect delivery of herself to her lover,
choked back feelings,
verbal, physical,
The interaction went down,
as did Lee,
FLAWLESS, Alex reciprocated similar feelings,
Lee revisited the mirror, smiling
you did not anticipate this…
discovery.

Birds announced the moment of sunrise,

she approached the window,

warmth graced her face and she felt safe now,

the terror that once plagued the countryside had subsided,

the end of a war,

men fought bravely,

protecting what they considered theirs,

not just women’s bodies,

but land on which they wished to plant their seeds and plow,

before darkness, there was a lighter shade of darkness, 

shadows covering the escalation of a cultural war,

impure intentions were the norm,

no one was safe,

now–

some are safe,

grey clouds linger over certain communities,

this is the cost light,

when darkness is the norm, 

An opened window,

the ashes of burning burials had cleared,

flesh coated air– blown down the river to the next town,

she closed her eyes,

the air of new sufferers filled her lungs with shaded darkness. 

In silence we sit,
feeding off the energy of each other,
no words spoken,
no words needed,
words complicate things,
so many words to our relationship,
many descriptors,
“I don’t like labels,”
but other people do,
and same-sex love is labeled,
regulated as:

lesbian,
gay,
bisexual,
disgusting,
abomination,
deserving of death,
people say,
kill the fags,
rape the dykes,

and here we sit,
“I forget where we were” because of all the talking,

I yearn to hold your hand,
I’d risk it all to remember “where we were,”
I use one finger to trace yours,
your finger locks with mine,
a second finger,
all five lock,
a smile crosses your face,

I remember.

She died,

Clinging to memories and thoughts of a sisterhood that never had a chance to unfold,

15 years old,

ambitions,

hopes,

dreams of a better time,

halted by the end of time–

Sisters who work in the garlic fields together,

A team of children living in poverty,

Struggling to eat each day — then —

we

became

me,

I reach out to you on nights when I wavier and you come to me,

Memories,

Rememeber the time when we sat down on a rock and talked about what we have never told the parents?

Your arm was bleeding,

scrapes and cuts so real that I see them today,

No one knows but me,

You asked me never to tell,

and I haven’t,

You fell off your roller blades, right?

15 years living,

15 years gone,

I celebrate every birthday,

Take off every death day,

and I remember you,

Memories,

Remember when you tried to sneak out of the house?

You came running back in,

“Someone is out there, watching me,”

Next morning,

A single sweater was drying on the clothesline,

You sweated that night, fear,

and blushed in the morning, embarrassment,

You never got those boots you were saving up for,

A letter in your hand writing,

Returned to me after grandma passed,

I re-read your thoughts all the time,

Stay close to me,

Memory,

I write a poem about my sister,

Her letter next to a picture of her and grandma,

Those were happy times in the struggle of life.

-End-

Hello Fellow Poets,

I am watching the Democratic National Convention speeches at this moment and cannot think of another activity that reflects my interests. I am a political writer and believe that “the personal is political.” My writing blurs the personal/political spectrum and dives deeper into how people connect to one another through loss. I am an out Lesbian Feminist and admire poet Adrienne Rich.

Logistically– I am a 27 year old lesbian graduate student whose childhood was rooted in poverty. My experiences influence my writing and I find much comfort when I write poems.

I am looking forward to this marathon, love challenging myself, and cannot wait to succeed in writing 24 poems in 24 hours.

I hope that everyone is approaching this marathon with the same optimism. Looking forward to pushing through to the end with you all!

I have already stocked up on coffee! 🙂

Best,

Jennifer Meneray