Two for sun 35

love with a twist of vengeance
by merimee

To be alone anywhere missing him
as if he were my body too and I a wind
flitting back and forth—
oh busy body woman me
I wonder when mother knew her second husband
was lousy —that soma
snoozed our father out her diluted heart
god damn bottles of booze
mixing confusion
with self and conscious
too strong on the rocks
for a girl lost to duty
cocktail glasses on apricot formica
their final dance—not much huzzah!
but hey, she
did not find him looking into her
or acceptable—the younger sibs
have it he slapped her & she
ran frightened from him
from tidal wave passion
no in-betweens when a storm ends
it’s alive or drowned
she half there, half lost in sand
dislike my man/dislike myself
I cannot indulge the dominance of
dull/depressed as
he reflects my shit right back, yet
a gift: the blues consolidate if
I allow myself, thank goddess, to skate on it
like glass or change the channel
and swim






#4
Girl kisses
by merimee

my poor health plagues like mosquitoes, an itch
good for squinting into the future
whining like an elephant
might as well use laugh therapy
get out of the house therapy
revere the act of cracking eggs, gratefully
stir melted chocolate and butter into agave
therapy
oat flour and walnuts. Healthy brownies
splat aches and pains: those damn mosquitoes
Daddy ended each letter with “enjoy your life”
and damn he meant it
look fierce into Despair’s pretty face
and kiss her full on