Of lies
Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze;
An ugly word, an indelicate action
So funny when the form and function
Don’t match anymore, an evolutionary
Blot upon a beautiful Garden.
Hold, hold, hold;
Their breaths were close, the thoughts so far
And there was nothing but the whiteness
Of a still-empty page, that frightening image,
that whispers of an underfear.
Close, close close;
The feeling of feeling was held onto so desperately
But the water tasted, in drops, in streams,
Like the gentlest, the sweetest, yes,
The tender-est
Of lies.
Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze;
An ugly word, an indelicate action
So funny when the form and function
Don’t match anymore, an evolutionary
Blot upon a beautiful Garden.
Hold, hold, hold;
Their breaths were close, the thoughts so far
And there was nothing but the whiteness
Of a still-empty page, that frightening image,
that whispers of an underfear.
Close, close close;
The feeling of feeling was held onto so desperately
But the water tasted, in drops, in streams,
Like the gentlest, the sweetest, yes,
The tender-est
Of lies.
Halo
I can’t sleep at night anymore, there’s this
Red light coming in from outside, you see-
This strange glow that penetrates my milky windows
And dances before my eyelids, looking for some cracks.
The first or second time around
I thought it was the harbinger of an apocalypse-
there’s a comet coming down on us, everybody, and it’s
Going to make our planet looks like mars-- isn’t that exciting,
But it was only the halo of a neon cross,
Level with my twelfth story window, perching on a church that
Screams “We love you” at every passersby.
I apologize, but I read the advertisement, yes,
I caught the tinily written
“restrictions apply.”
So
Tonight, like many nights,
Time ticks by and I lay here, still,
Catching sight of ever-familiar shadows.
Place
By Garam Noh
It is a warm afternoon—the clouds trickle by.
Eyes watch them through the panels of a window.
Through it they have seen the world forever.
Palm feels the windowsill; the sun’s warmth has drenched it.
It runs along the length of many things.
A breeze finds her way through an open crack.
She is not unwelcome. She runs unimpeded.
Feet lead to a well-known door—hands grasp its edge.
It leads out into an open space.
Lips press lightly against the old paintjob, and
The smell of musk travels through two tunnels.
Thoughts long untouched, in muted tones of yellow and green,
Reach down into the corners of Mouth.
They are pulled up.
But as Fingertips push away, for the last time (they know),
The iron of the metal knob leaves a lingering cold.
I can’t sleep at night anymore, there’s this
Red light coming in from outside, you see-
This strange glow that penetrates my milky windows
And dances before my eyelids, looking for some cracks.
The first or second time around
I thought it was the harbinger of an apocalypse-
there’s a comet coming down on us, everybody, and it’s
Going to make our planet looks like mars-- isn’t that exciting,
But it was only the halo of a neon cross,
Level with my twelfth story window, perching on a church that
Screams “We love you” at every passersby.
I apologize, but I read the advertisement, yes,
I caught the tinily written
“restrictions apply.”
So
Tonight, like many nights,
Time ticks by and I lay here, still,
Catching sight of ever-familiar shadows.
Place
By Garam Noh
It is a warm afternoon—the clouds trickle by.
Eyes watch them through the panels of a window.
Through it they have seen the world forever.
Palm feels the windowsill; the sun’s warmth has drenched it.
It runs along the length of many things.
A breeze finds her way through an open crack.
She is not unwelcome. She runs unimpeded.
Feet lead to a well-known door—hands grasp its edge.
It leads out into an open space.
Lips press lightly against the old paintjob, and
The smell of musk travels through two tunnels.
Thoughts long untouched, in muted tones of yellow and green,
Reach down into the corners of Mouth.
They are pulled up.
But as Fingertips push away, for the last time (they know),
The iron of the metal knob leaves a lingering cold.