When something terrible faces
me, I choose option
three
(the one cavemen never
thought existed):
freeze

yep, I am an inventor of the invisible
indecisive
slow-thinking
coward

I don't judge you
out loud
I laugh when you want me to and
smile at convenient intervals and lulls in
conversation in
life

This is the poeticization machine:
(Say that five times fast)
Raw materials: what I feel and see
The product: powerful imagery --

full of exaggerated angst swathed in
metaphors and rhythm and emotion too
strong to feel
real

Example A: I need a shower so I take it.
Post-Machine:
The burning water scalds my
flesh and I see red rush to the
surface even as the skin on my fingertips
depresses with each passing minute wrinkling
before its time

You're a lazy selfish self-
pitying lump of skin and bone and
too much fat You can't do anything for
anyone (not even
yourself) What is your
problem you Stupid Uninspired
Unmotivated *** What are
you? I would tell you to
get out of my
life, if I
could

I take the lamp out
of its box and stand it on the sill of
my new apartment. I ***** in
the bulbs, plug it in, turn it
on.
Done.
But
what to do with the box it can't just stay
there
by the window
taking up space for
however long I'll be
here.
But
when I move it would make things
easier
all the special-
shaped styrofoam would make things
easier the lamp wouldn't
break
when I move next for sure.
But
I've just arrived Why
am I already leaving?

Shirley Temple's curls were
gorgeous, - manufactured or
not - bouncy, shiny,
sweet

Mine,
on the other hand,
are a bit frizzy and unruly and
not very
bouncy after the first jump

Maybe they'd behave better in
black and white

Goosebumps march down my
arms make the hairs stand
at attention my
knee bounce bounce
bounces as my foot goes
Tense -
Relax
Tense -
Relax
Tense tensetensetense

Breathe
I am warm