Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Headshot

It's been a while, I know. Must become a better blogger.

Headshot

Few constants in my life,

but back before I knew

myself

I loved a man

for his green eyes.


Let me now linger on yours.

Hardly green

for all the brown and gold

hidden in unmatched patches


But pull away, free you

from my scrutiny.


Call them

green like his,

but with the benefit of your long lashes,

pink lips curved up at just

one corner.

Your freckled skin follows the curve

of your neck, continuing

to so many places his skin

could never dream of.



(The last line is not supposed to be small, but the formatting is being very screwy tonight.)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Dissecting the Witch

This is a found poem that I created using only words found in the Government Printing Office's style manual. I've done 31 of these little pieces, but this one stood out to me because it was influenced by Gregory Maguire's Elphaba.


Dissecting the Witch

hazardous women

have a common basic element,

omitted

in all but the

postoperative examination

in ward D


dark

green body and

hypersensitive girllike

ambiguity,

un-duplicated


between sergeant and

solution,

with superior

figure and make-believe


mother-of-cold

in a dead-alive melodrama


a nonliteral

expression.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Want Ad

In honor of Coming Out Day, here's a poem about the moments before I came out.


Want Ad


Sitting in the booth, straw

between my fingers

I commit.

Again

with my cursor on

send, again when you ask

why.


The words dry.

I’ll hire an actress to sit

beside me,

take your hands.

My understudy, speak

my lines.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Date Lab

A little found poetry to ease me back in after a long break.


Date Lab
I felt just like a rapper
with some nice arm candy
til, like, halftime
but our brilliant plan
fizzled
and that's where it gets complicated:
a continuing search
for the elusive
do-over

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Mannekenlove

This one goes out to Santana Lopez and Ann Taylor.


Mannekenlove

Don’t be cold.

Exhibition, let’s do this

in the Hollywood lights behind

the plate window.

Your pale collarbone scraped bare

by my chalky teeth.

I unlock your white skinny jeans

from behind, wrench them off

over a table, over

your high heels.

You curve like a woman but hard,

what are you.

No point of entry, I canvass

each crack, sever

your hand at the wrist

and take.

My stone fashionista, you’re not much

to hold so I dress you like a toddler

and leave,

plaster dust in my hair.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Zipper, Exposed

I just stumbled on this poem from months ago when I was cleaning out my room.


Zipper, Exposed

Unzip me, love.

I’ve built these walls of cashmere

and ponte wool,

recreated my world post-her

with ruffles and ribbon.

Black and white and teal

with fabric tiers and fraying tears

and loose buttons covered in words.

I boxed everything and left it

at her door, started over in these

pearls and chains.

But my seams are plain as ever,

you see my hiding.

I bear my zipper – pull the ribbon

and live me again.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A Future

A Future

Uncertain

Except this

Sitting as I do now

Before my computer

Writing, or maybe

Waiting for the words

Brown hair messy against the back of my head

Although I like it neat

One strand curling

Frizzing

Against my cheek

And she, faceless

Nameless

Presses against my back

And strokes that wandering strand

Away