Oriental Bittersweet
her arms full of swans
never meant, no really never
meant you any harm.
Oriental Bittersweet
cuts her body with a blade
and never sees, no never really
sees the mess she's made.
Oriental Bittersweet
has horse blanket hair--
blacktop eyes and blackstrap tongue
and promises she cares.
Oriental Bittersweet
knows EMT's by name--
she'll take you with her, with her taken
here she comes again.
______
The name Oriental Bittersweet is so apt. As is the cutting without seeing the impact. The horse blanket hair and blacktop eyes are wonderfully surprising, and perfect for the poem.
ReplyDeleteI love that opening line, and the penultimate stanza of descriptive perfection, building a striking visual that feeds the meaning. A finely honed little gem of a poem, Shay.
ReplyDelete