Reva Devi

delicious dish of a relationship
I've not had Jell-O in such a long time

we used to add fruit cocktail
Libby’s from the can--can opener to open it

fruit cocktail: cherries, white grapes
peaches pieces, pieces of Bartlett pears
suspended in Jell-O,
cherry, strawberry, grape, orange

when it was chilled, small spoon to go at it
dig into it until there was left,
only what the spoon could not get at

this the kind of delight she causes me to recall
sweet as she is, smile as she does

she'd smile and I'd melt
sweet as she is and she's married
too late to propose or to possess

I could linger on earth, could hang around
for a woman as lovely as she is to show up

so tired waitin' --she renews hope
someone as comforting, as supportive to marry
to cling to

I could live another decade or two easily
I'd certainly want to

as warn out as I feel oftentimes, as fed up as I'd get
I could desire life again, love again
in spite of a pack of boys like a pack of dogs

assault the peace with a stone, smash a street light
another up against my house: I opened my mouth
in opposition

I could be hard-hearted too, cold-hearted too
but she warms hearts, softens hearts

hard hats, hard heads to knock together
buck like goats

human beings like barking dogs
often who I'm up against

this/these not all the world though
I could exit it with her upon my arm
or someone similar--has God made two

is money what I need to transcend my station
this hell I came into this world in, stuck in,
belong to

am I able to transform it or leave it,
abandon it for a woman as lovely as she is

her smile suggests that all is well
says it's alright, this planet we're on

I’m stuck as if in a cesspit, stink of shit
I want to climb out, I want to wash off

how approvingly she regards me
as if I were draped in the finest robe

upon my fingers, rings of gold


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
5:58 a.m. 01.08.09