Oranges
for A.A.

i.
able to render me weak, helpless
look what I could get
look where I could be

off with her business suit
business woman, my baby

my arms to cradle her gently
to rock her to sleep

what keeps us apart

some shaky partition
shakes like a leaf
when I speak words of admiration
address her beauty

let her see, let her know how I feel

evasive though she is
it affects her, thrills her
makes her awkward

what partitions to push aside
room that's her life
room that's mine, one room

what miracle
falling in love is
our affair would be

what or whom
does she await
if not for me

ii.
why does she let waste
what I outpour, my adoration

is it cheap and superficial
better off ignored

rather than inspired divinely

am I flimsy
emotionally, spiritually

am I trivial, mentally

iii.
withholding herself, saving herself
for who, for what

and am I as available
as I imagine I am

what if she said yes to my proposal

would I then have to suggest
it were offered in jest

with whom oh, God
could I connect, fit like an outfit

or am I suitable
only for the hand
for the fist of death

is there anything good about me left

age of romance
has it come and gone

an item of her and me
is this a possibility
is a future for us a posssibility

I must and she must
wait and see

or does she know already
it could never be

iv
what to connect us
to connect two

to connect who enjoy jousting
with eyes, with remarks
with everything short
of with lances

I want to slip a ring on her finger
as much as I wish
to slip my penis in her

to consumate marriage

v.
so much effort for so long
to nullify me

why are we not allowed
like salt in warm water
to be/to make a solution

to wash a mouth
that's sore inside

a world with swollen gums
needing us together

to join, to ease some pain
which has in creation arisen

oh, though,
what if I were made happy
what if I had happiness ultimately

embracing it, clothed in it
and anybody looking, seeing us
could see

what if they envied us
outfitted in each other

wonderful wonderful
seamless garment

what if their wish was to rip it
disrobe us

one way or another
for one reason or another

apart from courage required
to be obviously in love
conspicuously happy

what other resources required
to safeguard it

is my fear the fear
of being obviously vulnerable
as opposed to living as I do
or appear to

with nothing to lose

vi.
a drop or several
like eye drops

of the sweat of her brow
she lets drip, lets fall
into my life

and how the solution
that's me clears

she, in this way, in these ways
mixes her blood with mine

what she earns
by the sweat of her brow
off her brow

like a fat lady baking, sweating
who wipes her wet face
when not upon her apron

with one index finger
and with a snap, releases it

sprinkles bread she's baking
pasteries, cakes
with sweat off her brow

element of herself like seasoning
for her patrons to partake of

this lady though
because she labors
in an air conditioned office
does not sweat

she is warm and brown
like bread

vii.
why does she do for me
Lord, she'd do for me
let her do for me

and what of me oh God
would I, could I do for her

oranges for her hand
and for our fruit bowl

tree of oranges
to pick from for her

my father used to pick oranges
in Florida

upon a ladder
a worker on the project

what project for me
to contribute to livelihood
to family

would poetry suffice
or would I have to make
other sacrifices for us to be happy
to be safe

would she cease being evasive
and embrace me

as Obama is this moment
being embraced
by the U.S.A.


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
Written between 5:15 p.m.
Monday, January 19 and 12:06 p.m.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009