apartment to let

vibrant radiator harmony,
getting to his ears
before the daylight
ripped open his eyes,
and alphabet soup thoughts
swilled from side to side
in the bowl that is his skull,
twnty seven permutations
of how the day
would end up being,
rolling a cigarette,
strips of paper cut from
an old shelley poetry book
as if inhaling the words
would give creedence to his own,
that languished on pages
scattered like a womans dirty
underwear across the floor,
that masterpiece so often
rewritten not compiled,
new words scraped away the old
confidence from caffeine
lifted him to another level,
sun filled evey corner
a morning bronze age
renaissance to the heart,
sat up scratching legs
it would be complete

Universal Studios Lot, Instagram by sessepien

knives sweeter than arrows

flesh of silk and snow

naked as a fawn exposed to winter,

draft seeped through window

that cast a lemon block outside,

pages before her with ink that began

to merge,

precious silent thoughts

lifted to starry skies,

sorrow had not brought it’s shadow

her eyes strong enough to look  into

the fire and show innocence,

telephone rang

the artist whose heart moved in spirals

waited with canvas and sable

and when snow retreats

and fireflies waken

she would stir to his caress,

till then entwined with knowledge

of youth and biology

lessons planned for each week

distraction long holding

avoidance to all things carnal

despite prick of skin

and clamor of heart,

she would wait as others too waited

and beneath soft auburn hair

decisions would be made

Jamie Wyeth Monhegan’s Schoolteacher