"Precipice" - 2/18/2007

what
is it going to
take

for you to say
you care
about me

will I have to
sear my skin
for attention

will I have to
lash out
at your pride

how
can I relax
when

all I feel is
questioning
feverish

the line
between trust
and adoration

is impatience
and I've uncouthly

crossed

"Rope" - 2/17/2007

today I saw rope for the first time in months
sitting across from you, black-eyed, soul-bruised
the look of an urchin, prophet-speak, soul-wise

how can someone be so carefully defeated
and offer such wisdom, unflinchingly bold
refusing to soften the truth (shame's cuckold)

you told me what ailed me and how to recover
if only I could take the place of a pigeon
if only I could fake not being too jaded

I've collaged you all of my life, onto bare walls
before you wrote me picture-poems before
I knew you were my sister-more

coffee-beans black hair dye
silver earrings meandering stories
unfailing humor vicious jealousy

I can see you like you see me
and I watch you lamb-to-slaughter

open your eyes embrace rushing iron ore