Poem 332 & 333 PLUS Reading tomorrow night!

Poem 332 – Why I Forgot to Write Yesterday’s Poem

Why I Forgot to Write Yesterday’s Poem

it was Carlos’* fault
I opened his book
started reading 
& got sucked
into his labyrinth
one hundred pages
later & night was
pulling its star-studded
quilt over the sky
my eyes succumbed
to closing 
all rememberings 
for poetry
folded into his story
it was Carlos’ fault
& he’ll make forget
again – I can feel it

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Poem 333 – Apex

Apex

[ellipses] & then I was at the apex
of a steep hill, balding, dirt-dried & dusty
tufts of thirsty weeds rigid with desire

I had chased her to the top
yelling at her back & before
that on a busy city street
clobbered with shoppers
& revellers, we screamed
at each other’s faces, chiselled
from years of anger & I wept 
in frustration as she twisted
my words into braided baggage
neither of us could carry &
she ran & I chased her [ellipses]

& then I was at the apex of a
steep hill, straddling its wicked
head, watching her stride down
like her legs were made of wind
fear turned my legs to metal
& my lungs shrunk three sizes
breathing a privilege she took
I knew i couldn’t go backwards
the steepness was equal on 
both sides of this dream –
I didn’t want to hurt myself
anymore [ellipses]

I was filthy, clothes ripped
skin so streaked with pain 
it curled up its edges like
pages dried from tears

I’d  lost her again [ellipses] 

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