Monday, June 10, 2019

the shapes we make when we sleep


our days were long, our nights no longer. 
count the seconds, watching hours. 
though we live on the US dollar - you and me, 
we got our own sense of time.
- hannah hunt, vampire weekend




my tongue twists over
the words i live on -
in binary languages that rule.
it slips and slides, is impaled upon
twisted words with their
new world meanings.
my tongue rakes over its own scabs
flooding blood into my cheeks.

when i'm alone i speak to my tongue,
earnestly, i cajole, i command it to stay still
in the presence of others

at night, i let my tongue
wander free, into your mouth
and curl up on its floor. safe.




"two who are mostly good.
two who have lived their day,
but keep on putting on their clothes
and putting things away."
- gwendolyn brooks, the bean eaters