Lyn Lifshin, US

 

 

from January Poems January 4 Rage armada of viciousness ice knife words. You know those mornings, one word does it. His friends, his mess. Inside my blood, a black flower blooms, such broad spiked leaves I can’t breathe     January Rage he leaves, a rash of viciousness, thick smoke I can’t breathe in. I can’t let go, each grenade, closer to its target. One phone call to his machine won’t do it Like all wars, dark wreckages blooming from what’s already a shell of itself     Rage, January 4 It starts with cat poop in the bathroom, starts with his verbs of knives, a look. You know the way one or 2 things, a bottle of pills on the floor, the sheet pulled too far from your side sets you up for more shit

 

Read Additional Poems from Lyn Lifshin's books Sketchbook: February 28, 2008: Volume 3, No. 2  from Cove Point: Cove Point, Door Mat, Better To Just Let It Go from January Poems 2006: January 3, 2006, On The Metro To Ballet, January, Metro Sketchbook: March 31, 2008:  Volume 3, No. 1 from Cove Point: Music Hall, Diary, Photograph from January Poems 2006: January 4 Rage, January Rage, Rage, January 4