mpalimpsest

[mpalimpsest]

Fine Wine Kisses at Midnight

Quietly I brushed against the bond It holds, muted in resignation Its been difficult recently and still the birds haven’t migrated Waiting for something specific To unfold my ears become curious Finches Nested themselves in the empty bird houses Like oversized headphones Playing the crickets’ low buzzy chorus my heart tunes in My breath slows, grounding me Weighted like moss covering the base of evergreen trees As the scene shifts Blurring My gaze falls on the whites of piano keys Shifting to the midnight ink shadows in between Wondering if our metronome Is placed next to your head To keep pace with the beat of my thumping heart Synchronizing Through the distance To say, rest the mind Feel it in the soft underbelly Hold it wholly raw Touch the gentle curve nuzzle into the plush flesh of knowing slowly push into warm liquid silk of Desires Fall into a river of emotions spiritual feeding until we are one

[mpalimpsest]

Number 8 Ate

Two loops in a vertical line Flipped horizontal to get infinity it's fitting For all the lifetimes as star crossed L o v e r s - how I’ll always hurt My skin taut and sore under my now second skin A bundle of nerves sits along the soft milk shade On my inner arm, adjacent to Breast, if I wanted to keep warm I whispered, soft underbelly

Her hands steady, the machine droning on That prickly heat moving Over and over As flesh cried out in protest E l e c t r i c B u r n

and a dreamy distraction my eyes wandering the room, a baby monstera plant by the window, light reflecting off the hanging glass vase, Melty sun, framed art hung on the walls in neat rows, dragon scales Luna the black cat, brings me to childhood Sailor Moon Large feline eyes smiling from a perch

this ritual continues the needle digging sharp electric zings in automatic and I reach for Mozart through budded ears to d r o w n out the machine's buzz S e a r i n g vulnerable Liquid Matter

When she moves to outer arm I begin to doze, mystical Stirring awake, a nymph nap To images made from my w o r d s heavy wooden doors Hanging ivy Lynx eyes H a d e s

Persephone suffering for a dark love, lethal beauty In a diadem of infinite E i g h t s

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Our Lucid Dream

The bed still toasty from our body heat Like we just got up to grab a cup of OJ And will be right Back

Invisible flowers dressed up as meaning

The sunlight streaming in E x p o s i n g slept-in sheets happily tossed Creases, smiling organza origami in dips and valleys here and up-tempo storms there

Reading Braille for the first time, mutually Fingertips rove, hungry to know more gripping onto each other, tensing Breathing in sighs and g a s p s R e l e a s i n g

Like strangers once more

Gathering ourselves Starchy shirts pulled through arm holes Buttoned up A heavy wool tie straightened Smoothed down pants with hands that understood Finality Stilettos and wingtips clamber over each other Awkward matchsticks Eyes meeting in indifference looking away before c a t c h i n g a rope falling to the depths an invitation to witness our story, A d e e p flesh wound, slowly bleeding out

It'll always be an achingly beautiful dream Left to catch butterflies in the cold

Even in yesterday’s dream I'll never see you again

[mpalimpsest]

Act III Inevitable Samsara

Muted zipper of a wet suit moving notch by notch, all the way to the top Thin breathing space between man-made and flesh made possible through escaped air At the collar

A deep dive Cold plunge closing the gap Becoming skin As rubber flippers morph into webbed toes

Swimming into the deep blue

Body becomes wave underwater R i p p l i n g soft a life in oxygen measures Secured by gentle elongated dolphin kicks Brushing against Vibrational suspension, holding

A tick of the gauge Breaks the barrier against the current Moving Deeper Clear liquid gives way to black, blue sea deeper still Pressure of gravity p u s h i n g down on shoulder blades, a weighted blanket wrapped to s i n k me

let go…

Deep sleep swirls onto temples, eyes barely open start to c l o s e Heartbeat giving up control Slackens slowing Fingers release palms heavy Easing into a waif-like horizontal half orb floating past zero As a tether appears--pure silver thread catching light tied to limp wrists

let go…

Of this vision created He is of a past life crossing into the present

Let go…

Of loving him

[mpalimpsest]

Soft Focus in Crumbling Towers

A little bird flew toward the horizon a l o n e wings fluttering, gliding d i p p i n g into wind to catch sea spray made by her need to brush a g a i n s t tension as she made her way somewhere intuitive

The mist cooling her warmed feathers warmed tendons little muscles not yet t e a r i n g from having to take

F l i g h t

into bright cavern on an island

There, weary plump hands s c u l p t a pair of blue jade eyes in silence as wind echoes the words… that someone is y o u

in lush forest, fully formed as chrysalis breaks E m e r g e a soft pink femme revealing feet parallel holding still, s t o n e like to loosen on exhale, melting into green paint bending willow r o s e into en pointe

A dancer of ballet, of mind

Disciple of

sharp angles fall apart into curving grace t e a r i n g in chainés spinning, faster, faster spinning o u t…

Delicate collapse into bed of feathers hiding expressions of pain her pulsing heartbeat c r y i n g o u t for you

as heavy curtains fall darkness envelops severing her life line

[mpalimpsest]

First time doing this...and i hope you like it...

Original Poem: A maker's mark

Background music: Chopin's nocturne no.1 in b minor https://www.classicals.de/chopin-collection

[mpalimpsest]

A certain way of wandering

Late morning on a weekday A cold wind blows through the empty city streets Cement pores constricting under my feet Skyscrapers an even cooler shade of grey The sky a bright denim named Winter b l u e s

Orifices misting from internal h e a t meeting cold My hands jammed into puffy sherpa pockets Keeping warm I found myself walking in a h a z e towards 9th avenue 21st street, automatic F l i g h t to brick & mortar, when s t u c k

A heavy glass door o p e n s Black snake skin boots crossing through B r e a t h of oxygen Curated space, solid structure Rise Repeat into gallery floors Down the heart of Chelsea Allowing auras, voices of creators to s e e p Into my mind Melted jelly bean boundaries Collapsing into square mason e m o t i o n s Releasing in the q u i e t

An ache throbbing Enveloping like a familiar body Displaced Monarch again

[mpalimpsest]

open with a brass key

The night just began I touch the soft velvet drapes Unfurling heavy Cloth Drawing them c l o s e d

Dark whispers in golden light meet me A gentle caress soothing my senses, sending ripples to my core As my gaze softens into Shanghai nights Beethoven plays, body settling Barely bathed Sandalwood s k i n

A hushed fluid Atmosphere binds An opulent brushed gold mirror seems to F l o a t Above the side wall By the s o l i d wood stairway lacquer catches the moody light Shadows dancing along its curving e d g e s Curves matching mine Reflecting Like candlelight flickering To its own M e l o d y In praise of shadows

Standing e x p o s e d Twins Together can you feel me?

Falling onto white sheets Stomach against the soft Ankles crossed Star gazing through an o p e n window You're so close And so far

[mpalimpsest]

Evermore, Artificial

The play started early today And strolled past its end time Even without an encore The shadow man clapped, I knew you once

Holding tight to its ingenuity Like a black and white rerun In slow motion Spiral spine productions, illusions The scenes tried to spark insight It's the 10th try in 10 minutes

Laughable, bony Just you wait he said, I'm growing some meat I promise… It's the 10th try in 10 minutes

Evermore, a play on infinite understanding In neat bows tied To sinking Pirated chests, you thought I didn't know kept me as the eternal viewer of that descent Tasked to find the evocative in the a i r bubbles Maybe, I could try again It's the 10th try in 10 minutes

Eject e j e c t EJECT a wind pipe translator A heavy shadow clapped Relentless in his ability to choke For no other purpose than to take air It would seem almost casual Sadist Drinking pinot as my tears spill Heaving Retching Into myself Noir like your glass

I hate the play

Yet, you still stand in front of me Preening in oily glee To re run it again

Tomorrow.

[mpalimpsest]

Come home

You remind me of someone He’s here and there He’s light and weighty He’s mine and yours Open up, I see him knocking Knocking K n o c k i n g to be let in Yet, you hold the door shut

H u m m i n g

And I’m left to stand alone Fingers r e a c h i n g for yours Lingering Only to be left d u s t e d in grey

You know… He’s steady and fast He’s sweet and troubled He’s firm and soft Open up, I see him running Running R u n n i n g toward us Yet, you s l o w to a stop

H u m m i n g

And I watch him go alone down A different p a t h My eyes fall on your shadow Yearning Only to be left E m p t y In white

I'll still wait here…

Waiting for you to come Home

[mpalimpsest]

Slipping into vanilla bean

It was late afternoon The streets bustling with busy people treading between purpose and chaos As calm and frantic as it needed to be New York City, so demure My senses buzzing, a knob I had to keep turning to zero Strangers' energies b o u n c i n g onto me Background noise I couldn't turn off Bubble gum under a table

I had a tendency to walk out of school mid-day on tuesdays volunteering, civic duty, Taking the subway from 14th street and 2nd Getting on the L a nuisance, hitting the 5 all the way b e f o r e Brooklyn I vaguely remember walking past the chaos of the ferry Into open green space — Battery park

He was working I was bored My handsome Starbucks guy on shift I was 16 Not love in retrospect Just experiment, maybe Control for him He made a favorite, v a n i l l a bean frappé and I drifted to the public space All floor-to-ceiling windows sunlight spilling over white chairs, white tables

I settled in, p u l l i n g my hair, waist-length drape, to one side tucking it b e h i n d an ear my thighs t o u c h i n g the chair — I hated that opened my book Some dreary classic probably, most likely Crime and Punishment I sensed shadow at 12 o'clock Peering up through ink lashes I see him His eyes holding me then moving to paper s k e t c h i n g…

Irony in Crime and Punishment

At some point he walked up and left the drawing My first impermanence And I felt dead inside

I held it and let it s l i p to the floor.

[mpalimpsest]

Milkhouse

I lower myself onto the couch Feline like pink paws r e a c h i n g for the walls Folding back slowly in mid air Hips tucking Then P u s h i n g into smooth leather Only for fingers to trace down e x p o s e d Thigh then, running up and hooking small lace to r e s t At the c u s p of skins Feeling d e e p

My eyes drift to the wall of oil paintings Illuminated by dim copper light H e l d

They seem to breathe Into my sorrow Like worn linens Dialing a familiar number on my body’s p u l l to E a t

The ambiance set By the one nude woman in the lower Left hemisphere She barely turns to look past her shoulder Eyes down I’m stuck there, moved by how gentle it all is, Life So full and so bleak

I imagined You sitting there, back pressed against that wall Chest bare, facing me effusive eyes Drawing me in A quiet smile tugging at lips like an airy dream One arm perched on the table elbow t o u c h in g wood your legs crossed at the ankles like drapes F a l l i n g over the e d g e from being too l o n g

Our eyes meet gazing at each other from that short distance Past and present Motionless Speaking in vibrations Only we can hear

As our eyes c l o s e in tears

[mpalimpsest]

The Great Beauty

Like holy water Anointed Water, water, w a t e r C a s c a d i n g onto my crown Breathing into my spiritual h o m e In a metaphor that is you Clarity in faith sinful delusion r e a c h i n g bowing to logic’s shores The balance of Mothers- Justitia and Prudentia Burning into a transformation

Of butterfly wings Light weight f l i g h t An ease gently moored to the core essence of earth Fluid Beautifully aching luminal eyes gazing toward the shoreline tethered to a body Dancing in the far deep Moving to the rhythm of life A calm comfort in the safety of a vast sea Water, water, w a t er Paradox held in perceptions Wide l o v e D e e p e s t care

In hands held together Leaking W a t e r As letting go and holding close moves me Moves me To an infinite center line A Deeper Human

[mpalimpsest]

Whispers to earth

I hold polished crystals Five spheres meant to ground me Curling them into my palm Like a whispered prayer

Breathing deep to draw from these sealed pieces of earth My mind wanders to phantom lips Brushing against s w e e t c r e a m y m u s k Sticky petals O p e n i n g helplessly The gripping fear of l o s i n g myself In you pushing me c l o s e r to S o f t violence

Breathe h e a v y

I toss them on mahogany Like hail clattering Skidding down the length Into stillness Iridescent prisms melding into sun beams casting shadows that form Aura amethyst, Botswana agate, Aquamarine, Rose quartz, Selenite, for cleansing

My lips tremble in this pause The w e i g h t Of you P r e s s i n g into the pit of my stomach Rising into my chest Escaping up my t h r o a t Only to E x p a n d And settle into my skin, like silk Pores open seeping back into me, In that same breath

I wondered…

Was there ever a different way to F a l l For you

[mpalimpsest]

Assateague

Wild horses walk the length of route 611 As cars speed past barely registering the wild sitting on that boundary

They live on the beach Unafraid of humans Domestic enough yet wild enough to roam in self-contained captivity A light dose of free will

I slept under the stars those nights With the moon beaming Large and round So close to me Accepting the paradox of mustangs and roses

My tent unzipped like half melted ice cream The flipping fabric following the wind Screaming zipper-- a small inconvenience After all I was open to sticky ocean air

Tucked like a petite hourglass in a red bikini. My dreamy eyes stayed on the water Knowing the horses won't judge

Warm solid mist rolling out of Deep nostrils Lips vibrating in the exhale, nickering

I wait for gooseflesh to hit my skin Wrapping my arms around my chest I breathe out and walk to my tent

[mpalimpsest]

Balcony View

A child blows on a dandelion The seeds scatter gently into the breeze I watch them d r i f t unmoved-- It only takes one hitched Unceremoniously On the shoulder of a certain beast To bring the shadows Hanging overcast Blurring day into day Despondent-- As you stir the fetid brew Of steaming cigarette butts t o s s e d Casual into an innocent body of water Hissing As toxins r e l e a s e ghostly One by one Soft underbellies float to the surface Moon mounds Gliding down the Seine Against city lights illuminating the night sky A bell tolls atMidnight-- glitter and gold dancing in pairs through Parisian night I wondered if you thought of me

[mpalimpsest]

Act II: Twin Flames

Your movements mimic The way a lion stalks its prey Hidden behind thick grass Golden orbs steady, watching Layers peeling back Revealing unmistakable danger in steady boredom Lean muscles holding power paws pressing into earth, ready to pounce The primal need to h u n t Settles into the atmosphere A fawn lost, soft eyes lay on you  Reflecting the mythic gaze of a primordial seer s e e k i n g Who maps a path in poetry for consumption Still you come Closer Closer Closing in beside me I collapse And allow your jaws to pierce my neck Relief fills me, placed on a crepe bed Bleeding out Devoured