Twin Once Twin Still
for M.B.

who able to get between us
where we’re attached, how we connect
too intricate to take apart
we’ve not had children but
we’ve altered the world,
the nation, the Caribbean,
the nature of being with what we shared

we changed each other irrevocably
family, relatives of hers, have therefore
only the changed woman she is
able to have no other
as family and friends of mine, to an equal degree
have in me, a changed man, an altered being
altered with her intentions
with love, with no other instrument

what of her dad going missing,
passing away, hole this left
did I heal it a little bit
did I address it without knowing

her contours are gentle, spiritual woman
at once as erotica as could be
what she did to me, what she does to me
loved me so naughty, so deep
I was a little naughty too, it was sweet

what a pinch love was,
guinep in your teeth and juice stains your clothes
it was often like this with her and me
until the world ended
until the word came and we came apart
like avocado seed, like twin guinep seed


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
10:55 p.m. 13/09/07


Sweat Sweet
for M.B.

I’d flirt with her fiercely
so very subtly, but with what force
what upheaval

roots which crack a sidewalk, crack a house

I used to crack her in half, in two
until she cracked my heart into bits and pieces

collecting them ever since
to have something whole

I’d long to hold her when I’d see her
I’d hug her but compared
with what we used to have
with what we used to do
hugs, however tight we squeeze
are hardly ever sufficient

I’d sip what I’m allowed, what we’re allowed
leaven every tiny bit of time with poems

stretch these like dough, make them rise


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
9:57 p.m. 13/10/07