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this is NOT a love poem
cause I ain't never written one
when my pen is moved to poetry,
it glides across my page to record
shattered dreams, disappointments and heartache
so this is NOT a love poem
it is a poem about a feeling
with the texture of molasses on the tongue,
slow and easy, thick and sweet…
a sweetness intensified by the hum of long distance telephone wires
and the internet's invisible web…
but this is NOT a love poem,
cause I wouldn't even know how to begin one…
but it is about a man
make me wanna buy NEW pots and pans
and feed him whatever it is he wants to eat
until his belly is full and satisfied
like my mind and heart are
when he feeds me his words
dipped in honey,
but, this is NOT a love poem
cause ya'll know I don't know nothing about them
but it is about a good Christian girl consulting
tarot
astrology
numerology
signs and omens, Aunt Sally's Policy Player's Dream book,
tea leaves, fortune cookies
and praying to any god that will hear her plea—
oshun, Vishnu, buddah, venus, sweet jesus
if it be in your divine/holy/god/goddess power
let him be for me…
but this is NOT a love poem
it is about being connected by the Mississippi River
amtrack trains
I-55, succulent summer breezes that caress with
magnolia and honeysuckle
and a shared love of the sound of lazy southern tongues..
but this is NOT a love poem
don't know why ya'll don't understand…
but it is a poem about lingering glances
pregnant pauses,
a well placed slash or ellipse
it's about the beauty of brevity
the exquisite nature of honesty and vague questions
and about me…
being broken down,
this shell I wear for protection stripped away
layer by layer
and leaving me exposed to my core,
down to the womanhood I had misplaced
this is NOT a love poem,
tonight…
but it may be one tomorrow
...Jamey Hatley |