Tenuous Substance*

A Poem

Alighting on the gummed up entrance sweeping forward like I’m on stage the sticky lines syrup the mouth, drizzle into footsteps The shakiness is gone or wants to be gone with the ceremony of the cigarette The wine has breathed quite long enough and for all of us And I’m starting to try to remember all the things you said and I said I did the wretched history that might equal connection later on Bruised by a callous nightstand ready to get on with the sleep the images knock things awake and me in consequence I can open my hands still barely, frigid sculptures that I hardly ask to do my work There’s no break though in my loving you

J.D. Harms 2020

*Barthes