I Bring her Up
of Cynthia Sue Fisher

doll in a dog's mouth
mercilessly shaken
irrevocably changed
ripped, shredded,
in the name of love

peggy lee was merciful
though we were merciless
with Shoney's strawberries
the meal was maya,
the meal was me

how we rip what we love
with bloodthirsty teeth
though we these days cook our meals
the fire tenderizing
cooking what we'd clamp down on
bite down in

what we favor most
the flavors we desire to be/
to have running down our chins

it was like this a few weeks
I wanted it always
to matter, to be needed

when she could do without me
or chose to even if it killed her
it nearly killed me

living, wanting to die
no need to live
if eyes could not see her

who has had her to look at
all these years

I as if blind, she as if black
blue-eyed, blonde I adored
until the door slammed shut

both of us excluded
from the privileged life

here or there lost
among the continents of time
I never rhymed better
than we rhymed in bed


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
4:11 a.m. 7/july/07