How to Do Something: Hang a Wet Pillowcase on the Clothesline pull out the linestretch it across the weed-woven lawnbe mindful of dog piles of shit, edgeswhitening from the heatclip the metal onto the hooktighten the lineit needs to be taut to hold the wet from the broken teal hampertake out the crumpled pillowcasehold two… Continue reading Poem 245 – How to do Something: Hang a Wet Pillowcase on the Clothesline
Poem 243 – Upon Entering My Bedroom After Dinner
Upon Entering My Bedroom After Dinner the way the smell of our meallands like a room within a roomcurtains of carbsbed of butteregg yolk sizzle moments in a housewhen it reveals its layersthe way it decorateswith scents paints nostalgiain my nostrils likehair triggers for whena waft of the past expandsin a foreign air around me… Continue reading Poem 243 – Upon Entering My Bedroom After Dinner
Poem 243 – Kempe: Creature
Kempe: Creature She names herselfCreature: this creature thisthis creature thatand the Lord visited this creatureand this creature keenly weptand this creature extravagantly sobbed* These are this creature’s words in the bestway she can offer them as this creatureis a woman forbidden to read and writein her time She names herselfCreature: What’s in a name?a world… Continue reading Poem 243 – Kempe: Creature
Poem 242 – Haiku for Love
Haiku for love Purple paint on nailsMy man calls them E.T. toesOur love leaves footprints
VANESSA SHIELDS 