Ryan G. Van Cleave
If You Ever Write a Poem About Me, Don’t Mention My Name
my friend Tony said after puking in the tailpipe
of his Accord LX-i one evening in Urbana, IL,
(which he also asked ne not to mention).
Well, Tony, as I sit here at my press-board
computer desk in the air-conditioned cool
of forgetfulness, I’m inclined not to listen to you.
I’m talking about truth here, the way the world
flakes of f bit by piece once a lie is given voice.
It’s not like a mango or banana, where you rip
off the outer husk to get at the good, luscious stuff--
that’s not how it works. It’s what we lie about
that defines us, and somewhere in all the lies
we’ve told each other, our parents, our lovers,
--lost deep in that network of dry-bed rivers--
we’ll find ourselves, walled in with pure light,
the bottomland beneath us slowly filling, trying
hard to drown us without our noticing. Take a deep
breath; let’s swim hand-in-hand for the other side.
Effortlessly, smooth as an oiled joint, let’s go together.
Page(s) 39
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