-
I wanted to break a leg
or an arm so I could have an interesting story
and everyone would sign my cast
because to a child a fracture
is a battle scar, a sign
of rebellion, climbing farther out on a limb
only to slip from the tree.
The plaster mold from wrist to elbow
cradles the flying sensation before the fall.
.
The girl with wide eyes who clung to the trunk
has no scar, no cast, no story.
A chance of falling kept her from the climb,
but her perfect skeleton is nothing more
than a dusty trophy on a shelf.
-
Nothing more than an increase in serotonin,
a neural transmission in the brain
that leaps over synaptic gaps and bypasses the heart
so that kissing becomes an act of soft tissue
caused by the dopamine reactions of dilated pupils.
.
Once upon a time I read your plump lips
and partook of the offered apple,
taking one hasty bite. The poisoned fruit
cast a spell, and my drowsy eyes
saw you as a prince, more or less charming.
.
Equations in text and twists of tale
blur the line between chemistry andchemistry,
but I flip the page to another chapter,
eyes skimming for true love’s kiss.
-
Arthritic hands tremble
beneath the weight of one Polaroid.
Hands that could have carved the next David
left the angel trapped within marble,
crying to be set free.
*
As she rose to strike the stone, the chisel
snapped before wings could break the surface
of rock polished with promise.
A single fall from grace
kept her from seeing the light.
*
Despite orthopedic shoes, her feet ache
for the stage as she traces a finger
across the glossy print of a childhood dream.
-
Half in, half out of your doorway
I recited our special script.
“See you later, alligator.”
I waited for you to respond
“After while, crocodile.”
Your voice tinkled like silver bells.
I closed the door, leaving you
behind as I walked away.
The light left your face
in shadows I couldn’t foresee.
.
Your wrinkled hands held me after school,
taught me to read the hands on a clock
but I never paid you back in time.
.
Now I strain to hear the bells echo.
-
We had to write a parody about Wuthering Heights in my high school English class, and since I’m about to read it again, I obviously had to find and sing this song in preparation. Also, I’m instantly reminded of this song by Kate Bush. I’ll never forget the dance moves or the voice. Thank you Mrs. PK.
.
Parody to Just the Girl - The Click 5
.
She Can’t Decide
.
She’s wild and she’s cruel but her beauty is striking.
I might be a fool to love someone this frightening.
She laughs at my weakness when Heathcliff comes over.
My life’s a mess ‘cause my wife has a lover.
.
Chorus:
Catherine’s love for me is just like the leaves.
Time will change her heart and tear us both apart.
She wants Heathcliff more. She’s started a war,
But she knows I’ll lose to the beast.
She can’t decide who she likes least.
