prey

Something from a few months ago I haven't shared yet.

you remind me of 

a lion who once mauled me

and left me for dead.

no wonder I smile between 

your teeth - you leave me alive.

inevitably

the rain embraces

hydrangeas. fireflies light

rivers in gloaming. 

raindrops fall from twilit eyes.

warm night smiles and settles on

my uprooted hands.

my heartbeat slows in the dark -

a lonely beacon.

at least one of us must be an asshole

The first 4 lines came to me on the train platform, and I liked the idea of "rhyming" in this slanted freeform way. I also like the way that "lies" highlights itself by breaking the pattern. It needs tweaking, and I'm not at all sure on the title, although I do very much enjoy the way this Fall Out Boy style lets me keep a poem spare and subtle while slamming meaning into it ahead of time.

i wish

that you ceased

to exist

between trysts

but i miss

the lies

in your kiss.

i missed you more

when the future lets us bottle memories

like spirits, i will keep a full flask of 

lying legs sprawled over the arm of your 

couch with my head on your lap, bullshitting while

you thumb your phone with one hand and

gently tug my bangs with the other

right next to a tiny vial of 30 minutes earlier

your naked body pressing and

pulling as i undress, nibbling the nape of my

neck, and the spicy-sweet warmth of 

"god I missed you" in my ear.

&hungry&tired&heartsore

Just a vent poem. These tend to be messy, but I find they let me handle emotions I usually avoid in writing.

frustrated&angry&without a car&

don't need to be owned, just need

a partner&could never be yours&

could never be enough for you,

whatever that means&don't want to be

too far in&don't want you to stop trying&

don't want to be owned again,

whatever that means&just want someone

who will follow me too&afraid that can't be you.

note to self re: raw wounds

I think I've had visitors, but I have no comments. There's a reason my byline here is "tear into me". Please, share - comments, critiques, questions - anything. I crave feedback.

Here is another poem written shortly after the last one I posted. I just know my first poetry teacher in college would have torn into me for "liminal", but to me  it feels like a gem in this sparse setting, among so many words I use too often.

just because
it was an empty threat

does not mean
it won't come creeping
behind midnight taillight curtains
to stop your hand in the liminal
of his soft snores
and choke you.

how to never find home

Hi. I might be back. Here is the poem that broke my dry spell.

the difference between drowning and swimming
is the purposeful movement of arms but
in this ocean of distance between your back and my breath
all directions feel like sinking.