Tiger There is a tiger in my belly a steady growl churnsmy insides the clawsclench into me knife-sharpcurves I knowhe is awake. There is a memory crouched low abdomengrazing earth bonestaut angles eyes liton prey brain fixedon survival body snappedforward crazed instinctswift chase viciousattack pierce rip jerkviolence casual skillfulartful and utterlyguiltless hunger satisfied. There is […]
30/30
24/30
Intimacy is surrenderingyour ugliest stainsand watching thembecome watercolorsin another’s hands.
23/30
Z Press your palm into the skin of your chest. The sun is so bright, or maybe we only notice during tragedies. You imagine your hand keeping the wind from blowing through you, your fingers covering a clean, raw hole. You are shocked by the brightness of the day. There is a walk behind an […]
22/30
Lessons My Neuroses Have Taught Me If I rake my fingernails across my scalpyou will not be mad at me If I pick at every imperfection on my faceI will be good enough for you If I finish my plate, the box, the bag, the container,you will not be disappointed with me If I stay […]
21/30
Loneliness Parade Excellent turnout this year. Of course,having Facebook as a sponsoralways ensures a massive audience.There goes their float now – all the streams of photos,acquaintances on rock climbing tripsand Sunday brunches, posingwith friends that I have nevertaken pictures with. Waving,grinning at their spectators.They live for this. Then the ex-lovers,the natural progression.Hanging out the windows […]
20/30
Reasons Because you loved me as I was.Because you looked into my unfinishednessand told me I was perfect.Because we could lie in your bed all daywatching the sun move across the window.Because content.Because there was no reason to move. Because I am a comfort junkieand you were an endless IV.Because you told me, over and […]
18/30
Thoughts on a Palliative Visit The little blue beartraps the heatof your bare skinon its fursitting at your sidecradled in your armby accidenta small gestureof comfort the machines clickand gasp andyour eyes are stilllike hisyour chest is stillrising and fallingshifting little bearI forget you do notexpand on your ownI forget whatis keeping you alive I […]
16/30
Gentle I cannot picture the boy you werewithout your set of squared shoulders.As if you entered the world already braced against it. You lovethe linearity of logic, pride yourselfon the weight of your brow. Your edges are rigid, smooth – I wonder what kniveshave sharpened themselves upon you.I wonder what other shapes you might have […]
15/30
Post-Explosion In the technological storm that followsany tragedy – the hails of textsand calls please tell me you’re safe andstatuses my heart goes out to and newssegments on televisions at the gym,the mall, blood-soakedstreets played on repeat,all carnage and no causation on repeat,repeat, repeat –you should know – You can look away.You can turn off […]
13/30
Why Most of My Poems are Not Happy Because inner peace sounds like the stillness of airwhen you shout it into a canyon. Because a smiledoesn’t need further explanation. Because youare much more you in metaphor and I need to feelclose and you are empty space. Because every lineneeds to feel like a punchline. Because […]