Fish, Out of Water

In the aquariam,
being only ocean traffic,
we were one and held on tight.

I knew you,
soaked in change,
loved in action.

Underwater conglomerations
brought hazardous ends:
Haphazard togetherness
starts with wet theme part kisses
and ends with Starbucks tears.


Dive in!
Immediate fish out of water
Holding on/sucking in
for dear life

I breathe now,
I win.

- May 14, 2010

diminish.

small
miniscule
minor

(this means everything).

little word
change of story
bring down David
silence Socrates
such is pain.

however:
hope.
souvent
l’espérance-

c’est un mot plus grand
qu’on peut comprendre.

les anglais diminuaient
nos rêves avec l’abolition d’espérance :
il n’existe qu’un
replacement
trop petit –

hope.

so much weight
in such small space
stands on hope’s shoulders
but it feels strong
so certain
small
safe.

- Nov. 5, 2009

textile turmoil

the cloth of rough coats makes me shiver
like some do after blackboard rage
hearing nails and slate collide in battle
their ears witness to a war between
physics and human power
who will win?
their ears say no one, i say fate.

in the same way, sans sound
my body takes on the weight of the world
all of its friction
when i am adorned in my coat
and grain against grain
body against arm
frame against frame
develops small bristles on my body
starting at my breast
working outward onto arms
spreading shields of protection
to wage this war of texture

i am certain that this microcosmic
tension since childhood
has given me my sharp sense of good and evil
and the numbness I feel
(one cannot forget the numbness)
after deepest pain and highest joy
for the sharp stabs of agony and bliss
incite similar shivers
and i ignore them for i am confused whether
my body is registering its simple revulsion
for grain against grain
or if it is alarming me of my soul’s celebration
or despair
over inner events taking my body by hostile takeover
one can never be sure.

- March 6, 2007