tenuous

“the leafbud straggles forth / toward the frigid light of the airshaft / this is faith / the pale extension of a day” – Adrienne Rich

 

i can not speak, the

words stay curled, a leafbud

waiting for the sun, my voice straggles

from within, banging back and forth

the reverberation echoing toward

a locked gate, the

the key between my fingers, frigid

aching for light

a warmth i know nothing of

faith is like the

pupil dilated from the shock of an airshaft

the eyes screaming this

this is

faith

knowing that the

sun never sets, becomes pale

yes but in truth is an extension

of

the moon, a bond, a thread, a

promise, never broken by day

 

Corner Cafe #5

Corner Cafe

Outside the plate glass window

Overlooking the backyard

On the painted sill

He has set up shop

 

Filaments crisscrossing

The far right corner

Shine in the morning sun

Holding pods of the fallen

 

Each day the web is repaired

And constructed to last

Perhaps until the leaves

Turn red and gold

 

 

A fortuitous gatekeeper

Waiting for his prey

Knowing she is there

They share mutual respect

 

Catching a glimpse of him

With his remarkable size

She turns relieved

He is one the other side

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mystery of Marmalade

The best citrus
grows on the trees
that still grace
Marjorie’s old place
at Cross Creek.

In the evening
you can stand
on the bridge
and hear frogs
by the dozen.

Daytime, visit
the garden and see
chickens and mallards
among the tomatoes.

But to fill winter jars
with delectable orange,
grapefruit, and kumquat
delight, you must lock your
elbows, grasp the long poles,
and pull with all your might.

The life and Death

He said “I didn’t mean to.”

He said “You know I would never hurt you.”

He said “But I love you”

Everything he said was a lie.

From the beginning it had all been a fucking lie.

He planned this.

From the moment he called and asked if his “best friend” would mind bringing him a pack of cigarettes and a soda and he would pay me when I got there.

It was a lie and I was simple and naive enough to believe it.

Captain save a hoe to the rescue.

See girl that’s why your mama always told you to sit your ass down.

Always told you to stop trying to have friends all the time.

I should have listened to mama.

Now I’m laying here sobbing and saying “no”.

Now I’m stuck.

Assaulted first by your hands.

Hands always so rough from years of farm work. A good country boy. I used to think they were nice. Now so rough, could they be knives instead? Because they are killing me. Cutting me to shreds but I cannot die. Why can’t I die? I have never wanted to more than in This Moment.

A mouth.

The same mouth spewing Venom.

Toxic words.

“I love you.”

A mouth replaces the knives.

A mouth soils me further.

Trash.

Broken.

Damaged goods.

That’s what I am now.

A final death blow.

The dagger to my heart.

Why is it called a penis?

It should be called a shotgun because with each pump it is spraying lead everywhere.

Shrapnel everywhere.

Explosives everywhere. Live bombs.

I am now a war zone.

The dead and broken lay on this battlefield. A Battlefield sopping wet with blood. Gettysburg 3.0.

Death has Dominion here now.

A final blow.

A gift you left inside me. Meant to grow and torture me for all eternity.

“I loved you.”

“I missed you.”

“Did you like it as much as I did?”

Shotgun to the Head.

I’m dead.

ORGANIZE

Capitalism is the triumph of the gang.

The starting point, the domination of concepts, only mystifies the passage of time.

Can you avoid the dirt in intercourse?

Can you lose this fixed character?

The human community conditioned by the material community derives to valorize itself.

So, as to guard against a veil of modesty, we must seduce in order to recruit.

We must belong to the desire for so called practical men.

14~17

Frogs!

Each wear their slimy raincoat

Throwing rotten tomatoes

One mystery evening

Through our yard of steam

Towards jars of fireflies

Suddenly perculating

Green jumping elbow

Too fastly closely

We children run in wonder

How did they find us?

Prompt for Hour Fifteen

Write a poem that involves some kind of ancient myth. The myth can be from any cultural background or origin, but I am not interested in modern myths. The older the better.

The poem can go into the details of the myth and be a retelling of sorts, or it can just borrow a mythic element and place it the modern world. The details are entirely up to you.

Prompt 14

What a mystery camping night
Storm clouds gather,
Rainy evening
Frogs ribbiting
searching for my raincoat

I let the worry live and then die
as the cooling evening
breeze tickles
my chin
and the mosquitoes chase
my tasty legs

Oh this humidity
Sweat, steam
Running down my elbows

Oh well!

My, first night campsite
this night I
shall sleep well.

Poem #14

The sun has set
the day is coming to an end
My struggle isn’t done with me yet.
determined to bring me to my knees
I will journey on with
every tired muscle and bone 
towards the finish line…
until struggle takes a bow.

j.r.m©