Two shadows on a page
I listened to the voices that shattered my heart
Strange prerequisite
I could harbor resentment
Till if flew over my head like a dagger
I had lunch with Peggy
But I couldn’t eat
When it came time to order
All I could say was
I have to presume I’ve fallen out of favor for some reason.
She said, even if idiocy seems normal
And the tiara slips to the side as I call up—say the ghost of Newton
I’ll take it upon myself anyway—if it will make you happy
Since somebody has to create a passageway that’s accessible
So the big ships can pass in the night
And if I’m not the mermaid sitting on the rocks
Who is?
Looks like moi
I don’t know if what’s inside me can be plundered easily
Even if you are a stranger
My feelings persevere like people at a party—who stay too late
And if I am the hostess who unlocks the door and says hello—well
So I am
(She was the long-winded sort and for all that
she had not responded to my comment …)
It was so like her
I’ll walk outside and see her again
And feel empty or filled with energy
As if her words had complimented mine
I guess they did
Two shadows on a page I listened to the voices that shattered my heart Strange prerequisite I could harbor resentment Till if flew over my head like a dagger
I had lunch with Peggy But I couldn’t eat When it came time to order All I could say was I have to presume I’ve fallen out of favor for some reason. She said, even if idiocy seems normal And the tiara slips to the side as I call up—say the ghost of Newton I’ll take it upon myself anyway—if it will make you happy Since somebody has to create a passageway that’s accessible So the big ships can pass in the night And if I’m not the mermaid sitting on the rocks Who is? Looks like moi I don’t know if what’s inside me can be plundered easily Even if you are a stranger My feelings persevere like people at a party—who stay too late And if I am the hostess who unlocks the door and says hello—well So I am (She was the long-winded sort and for all that she had not responded to my comment …) It was so like her I’ll walk outside and see her again And feel empty or filled with energy As if her words had complimented mine I guess they did
Lewis Warsh—Enmeshment and Heirloom—paraphrased