Egg White
for Nsakala Emmanuel
i.
milk-white girl has bewitched me with her magic
how she is able to dance so amazingly
is a mystery--utterly delicious
beauty of it, of this video, unbearable
one I favor most of the many I love
of dr. Sakis and his sexy sexy dancing girls
ii.
what electric wind, in her little red skirt,
to intoxicate me, like red wine in a bottle
she out pours freely, so freely, so much,
the glass overflows
she spills some of her but I lap her up
lick her up, lick her down
lick her down gently
iii.
able to electrocute me when she winds
I wish she would, I'd die happy
milk-white girl in her red skirt,
could shake every penny
out of my piggy bank
iv.
milk-white girl to make milkshake with
egg yolk, egg white to mix in, to make music
to make love last, to make love strong
milk-white girl I can drink always
I can drink all of
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
9:11 p.m. 09.11.09
Jack Up the Bean Stalk
for M.N.W.
ever-ready battery, ever-ready love
ever ready for what she has to allow, to give, to live with
she paid the check, is she liberated
we could go far, could grow like a bean stalk
for Jack to go up, giant to come down
but Jack has his gold, has an axe
what if he were a son of mine, son of hers
we’d have to spank him, scold him
if I hold her too closely I know Jack with his axe
with all his mischief, would come creeping forth
and the giant, poor man, would come tumbling down
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2000
2:01 a.m. 01.14.00
What’s Shared What’s Not
for Adam Zagajewski
with bottle, with the water in it, a relationship
however sick, able to kiss it, suck at it
not denied privacy, intimacy
a bottle, a poet unwell, reading in public
a podium, a microphone, his bottle of water
makes his presentation possible
Zagajewski, grateful for this relationship
with bottle,
with water contained in it
so inexpensive when compared with
what it makes possible
Adam, able to read, we able to hear poetry
be transformed by it
how intimate, poet, the bottle, the water he sips
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
2:11 a.m. 08.11.09
In the Wind A Door
for Zina P. Albury
will or have already
yanked open the door to poetry before her
a wall she’d have been passing along
a door she had not recognized
to a world of which she was utterly unaware
or had no interest in
now she will be fascinated,
surprised to find it has to do with her
it is so much about her own life
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
1:30 a.m. 08.11.09
Sitting On My Hair
for Adam Zagajewski,
Lucie Brock-Broido & Derek Walcott
you set off, set on the blender
when all you want in it has been added
after milk or juice has been added
and let it wurr churn swirl
until it is all one consistent thickness
Walcott’s poetry is like this, is made like this
for some, hold your glasses
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
12:43 a.m. 08.11.09
Always As Happy As Hell To See Her
of Deanka Saunders
still unable to get her e-mail address
she has one now
now nearer to something,
nearer her, nearer home, nearer together or are we
I have her last name also now
but not her e-mail address
she was abrupt about it, about the fact
that her computer’s down
it will be down indefinitely, she told me
pointless providing me her address
she’d be unable to get at it, at anything I might provide
showed her my two new books with pretty covers
with their nice jackets
told her my poems of her will eventually be in books like these
she laughed then
more emotional than I’d ever seen her
used to her being sedate, so concentrated
upon cashing, collecting, giving change
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
12:10 a.m. 08.11.09
In Love In Conflict
for M.N.W.
we could fuck
or we could kill each other with knives
we can come or we can bleed to death
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
11:50 p.m. 07.11.09
Wings of A Song
for Zina P. Albury
to sweeten your pot
love plots to have you
hand to hold you with
to rest upon you naked
how limited my resources are
how limited my life is
though love knows no bounds
enter when I knock
I'll enter when you knock
if I love you, if you love me,
we can cross this divide
can do what's impossible
if we love truly, like we say we do
don't want to love you later
want to love you now, I ache to, I must
we must not be separated
attached by a straw, share air, life, light
share swear words, cuss words
two copulating, fuck fuck fuck
unable to take it
I must draw you to me, through straw
must draw your picture in water, in snow
in fire, on earth and in the air
tell the world I love you,
let the world know you're mine
we're of a kind
unplug you like a tangerine
I'd have to peel you first
easy does it
easy to get your panties off
I struggle with bras, help me
too eager to wait
weight of you to lift to bed
but to fuck not to sleep
want you any way I can have you,
without delay, later is too late
waited too many nights already
worlds have come between us
time I came like lightning inside you
it's time thunder rolled
what are you afraid of
black cats, big dicks
used to wish mine was a foot long
and as thick as my neck
heads come out of a woman
why am I unable to shove my head in
look about, breathe air
how dark is it in there
I think of a cave of bats,
upside down, sleeping
enter with searchlight
and they stream out
thousands in a frenzy
upon wings, wild, flapping
what are you afraid of
loving, losing, living, dying
the death of those you love
are your parents alive still
both of mine have passed away
I never knew my grand parents
grandmother of seven,
do you have grand parents
I want to sweeten your tea
want you to sweeten my porridge
cornmeal is another meal I miss
I miss nothing though as I miss you
will twist some juices out of you
when I see you
I have a wrestling match planned
two naked lovers
the prize is cherry pie
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
2:01 p.m. 06.11.09
Rooster In A Hen House
for T.L.C.
it is purple, orange, sea-blue, ocean-blue, sky-blue
it is hairy, it smells like lunch
is this what you would disallow, my access, nose up in you
face in your panties, breathing you in, sniffing, smelling
self conscious about something, something to be embarrassed about
wanting to eat you, to have you, to know you, to fuck you
fuck you, I’ll have you the way I have mango, water melon,
musk melon or honey dew
go to the super market, go first to the fruit section
shapes and colors of all sizes in heaps
cantaloupes, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers
fucking like this, in crisis, in dish after dish
exercise, access, against what’s ambiguous in this world
you are specific, meal to have raw, like I have apples, plums
knife to peel with, dick I stiffen, open you with
do you stiffen it, make it stiff, you want it, have to have it
why do you deny what you desire, what's most desirable,
what's deepest
afraid of what is atavistic, afraid of being out of control
what ever happened to head aches you used to have
you had been having
that is where we left off, have you seen a physician,
could I be of assistance
tongue in your pussy possibly,
till you tell you told me your name
be what you'd dream up, what you'd dream of
wet you, what you want, I'd give you
what I want I'll have, I'll take also
put aside your remote control
© Obediah Michael smith, 2009
9:20 a.m. 6.11.09
Half of An Avocado Seed
for Beryl [R.I.P.]
& A.D. Hanna & their family
a great lady died today
our Governor General’s other half
how like a corned beef can
how like a can of corned beef
we are opened and eventually consumed
she was formidable and she was smart
she was courageous and she had heart
what a giant Sir Etienne was
I remember them clashing
like waves and rocks
remember the sparks, the fire works
the water splashing, the salt sea spray
issue was apartheid,
racist policies in South Africa
with what Sir Etienne wrote, she disagreed
she picketed the Tribune
she with others, wore placards
she’d not give in, she’d not back down
English woman, woman of justice
for struggle, for the disenfranchised
the disadvantaged around the globe
in every corner of the world
stood by her husband
in family life, in public life
building family, building nation
from the blue print
stood by A.D. Hanna
like Lady Pindling stood
by Oscar Pindling
she expired today
death, its dinner done
wipes its mouth, its hands
upon the flag she saw raised
she saw go up
this flag will fly at half-mast
will wave and she will wave
and we will wave
there are those of us
who will wave farewell to her
with eyes full of tears
from some, tears will be streaming
down
a few will scream
last chance to reach out to her
reach out for her
across time and where no time is
ii.
Lord help me to look to thee
for what no one in this world
can withhold from me
what no one in this world can allow
or can give me
for what only you can give
like life you gave
which only you can give
only you can take away
or sustain
iii.
to hear pang-a-lang
they throw stones through glass
children in uniforms
passing from and to school
stones through glass
are like musical instruments
bows across stringed instruments
we break silence with
there are voices, sounds,
a pitch so high, able to shatter glass
houses abandoned, these pink twins
their wooden porch pillars
their wooden doors, dark-green
their front windows, shattered glass
up until not long ago
clothes on lines, on these two front porches
in the teeth of pins
the wind would dry
no longer are these two houses
sight for sore eyes
black eyes after battle
these two houses, opposite the church
perched upon a hill, in the bend in the road
dark inside
no one residing or can reside
within a building with windows
with shattered glass
children with stones,
out to make drama, to make mischief
out to make music
on their way home
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
Written between 12 noon
and 2:25 p.m. on Thursday,
November 5, 2009
Comic Strip
for Harold Munnings
Asterix for you to read
like that box, that tin of things
belonging to Dominique Bretodeau
stumbled upon in “Amélie”
stumbled upon the owner
after searching high and searching low
baked chicken he loved, ate whole by himself,
ripping it apart, clawing at it
with his fingers,
would make his mouth water
how he wept upon discovering
his tin box full of things
accumulated when he was a boy
marbles and memories, joy he could not contain
himself he could not contain
Asterix Comic Books, a stack of these
for a man, a medical doctor now
for his eyes to wander over once again
what cities, what streets within his mind
would his feet travel
what roundabouts would he run about
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
1: 37 p.m. 01.11.09
Sides of the Moon
for R.W.
how close the patient is to the impatient
I like a fool was unaware
how close the patient is to the physician
and must be
if healing in a needle, in a nurse’s hand
is to arrive
needle in an arm, in a backside
a little pain and then relief
was I not wise not to have known
how near love was to what looked otherwise
love was wearing a mask, a face screwed up
afraid, I masked that too
with my own impatience and I fled
was I fearing had I not I’d have bled
friends we are or have become
I can’t or I can hardly believe
I so glad for you, for us
what’s in between
reminds me of those snaps
which, during childhood
I used to love
two biscuits, between them
marshmallow or some custard
or some cream
what a queen of a friend you are
how sweet you are
that night I thought you bitter
wish I were able to go back
drink it till the jar containing it
was dry
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
4:20 p.m. 04.11.09
Wuyong
for Jia Zhangke & Bryan Boddy
next best thing to being there
a movie on a movie screen
what rout to take to get to these places
no concern of mine
the roads, plane tickets,
train stations, bus stations
from place to place and I am there
light of these places, the light in my eyes
dim or mute or bright
I’m there, I see, I feel, I hear
next best thing to being there
movies on a movie screen
easy as a switch, a click,
plug to plug in, to shove in
and I’m in business, in Beijing
in whatever place, wherever upon the planet
in deep water or deep in space
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
5:39 p.m. 04.11.09
Brandy Wine
for M.S.
time to lie down with memories
of you and me
as time flees, as it fleets away
memories of us two remain
these I cherish, I savor
these deeds in a dish, I eat over again
cherries on stems still
I put in my mouth and pull
do you feel it too
when I eat us
when I eat
you
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
2:02 p.m. 01.11.09
Chippingham House
for L.M.M.
i.
things she’d touch, she’d let touch her
she’d want to touch and have touch her
along with me, I’d not want to let touch me
what she’d want me to be an assortment of,
assorted with, I’d not be able to permit or admit
never cared to admit into my life her family
with which, with whom she is so intimate
that is it, unable to fit, not wanting to wear
the outfit she’d want to outfit me in
were we to marry
ii.
incongruous cultures, hers and mine
who the members of her family are
who the members of mine
every member of mine independent
space of their own
hers in herds, in packs
reliant upon each other,
would lie upon each other
great big house all to myself
I share with paintings, books
with what I write
thought she wanted a house to get away
want a house to take along
who’s well and who’s ill
who’s bad and who’s good
who could and who can’t
her house has always been a home
old folks home, Randfurley Home
her dad came home to die and did
her mom followed
together over about 12 years
inserted these in our affair
superimposed them upon the family
we were attempting to be, attempting
to build
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
Written between 5:55 p.m.
and 6:39 p.m. Friday,
October 30th 2009
Mathematician
for Rev. Charles Saunders
walking man, walking home, making triangles
unmaking one to make another and another
unmindful of these
on his mind a cup of tea, a meal to make
can hardly wait to be in his kitchen
to turn lights on
exquisite triangles he makes and throws away
without a thought
his thoughts upon hot tea, hot bread
to slice, to butter
he wishes he had avocado
he had a week or so ago to slice, to add
unable to afford tomatoes, $2.69 a pound
in the fridge, in a box, what’s left of rice
he had for lunch
some of this, some of that to add up
to make supper
in what mathematical shapes
will he prepare a meal
what equations will he make
of what he fixes, what he eats
adding and subtracting
eating, defecating, breathing in, out
heart beat quickening, walking more quickly
anticipating tea, something to eat
© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
9:29 p.m. 30.10.09
