Overflow
12-9-03
for Mel
To turn
you to shivers,
sate those
insatiable gasps,
moans arrested
by the wet brushing--
a layered sweetness
dabbed away, taken up
tongue-to-lip, bit
by bit, warm-breathed--
to turn
you to quivers,
bait those
debatable grasps,
scraped and caress'ed
by the push, shoving--
over onto breasts
pushed down, grunting,
whispered in ears, hit
around the buttons, hot--
to set
you to flame,
fevered rose
unstoppably blooms,
breaths accelerated,
penetrating flesh--
gasps grasped
taut-throated, fingers
entangled as arms,
entangled as vines
scaling a wall infinite
and the pleasure
overflows
The misses and the cut-myself fights
that I didn't miss when you left me right
dead one jackhammer Saturday night,
city lights in supernova might--
the same time, I realized
all your always were always lies
I always bought high, oh,
I always bought high
Cause my name is Regret
A secret that I never kept,
left half-wrapped and open flyed,
Except from my own blame
Except from my own blame
The kisses and the hold-me-tights
that I didn't miss 'til the city lights
died one quiet Friday night
to leave me with a galaxy bright--
the same time, I realize
all your always were always lies
I didn't yet buy, oh,
I didn't yet buy
Cause my name is Regret
A secret that I never kept,
left half-wrapped and open flyed,
Except from my own blame
Except from my own blame
And I'm never gonna want you back again
I'm never gonna want that back again
I'm not gonna want it back again
Want it back, want that back,
I want you back again
Cause my name is Regret
A secret that I never kept,
left half-wrapped and open flyed,
Except from my own blame
Except from my own blame
Cause my name is Regret
A secret that I never kept,
left half-wrapped and open flyed,
Except from my own blame
Except from my own blame
Tossed around on a Web site toy from a movie about Sylvia Plath, where she's portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, a tart.
All Saint's, 03
-
In insul, in love
I am away
but here:
You see?
Skin has my
girl-chain to touch;
a fool's pool
of sour, rank,
sugar syrup pain,
a diabetic's headaches
in insulin love.
I bend, to bring thy perfume near,
Again,—I cannot leave the spot;
Damp walls and prison gloom are here!
The beauties of the garden-plot
Are gone,—save thee, White Julienne,
Fond-handled by the fated queen!
- "To the White Julienne"
Mary Hannay Foott
A Shadow, Not Mine,
left behind--
a willow,
outlined, moss
dangling off
the crest;
white Juliennes
pressed beneath
a breast's suggest-
ion as it billows
open, the bright
siphoned from
fierce nightshade
to the white
catchfly; tendrils
of flameless scorch
sap poppy
for peony,
ambrosia
for balsamine
and asphodel,
to leave
a garden of
lettuce,
broken straw,
dying dittany.
--
willow (common): forsakenness
moss: maternal love, ennui
white Juliennes: do not despair
nightshade: magic, truth
white catchfly: betrayal
poppy: consolation, sleep
peony: shame
ambrosia: love returned
asphodel: regrets that follow to the grave
balsamine: impatience
lettuce: cold-heartedness
broken straw: quarrel, broken contract
dittany (of Crete): passionl dittany and milk are good for spitting of blood, the whole herb is good for diseases of the head, and to open all manner of obstructions. (http://www.magdalin.com/herbs/plants_pages/d/dittany.htm)
Other sources (collected by Katherine Bryant http://www.cybercom.net/~klb/flowers.html)
1853: Chauncey, Mary, ed. The Floral Gift, from Nature and the Heart. New York: Leavitt & Allen, 1853. The copy I have is, unfortunately, missing pages 65-78 (between "Honeysuckle" and "Lily, White").
1883(I): Our Deportment, or the Manners, Conduct, and Dress of the Most Refined Society; including Forms for Letters, Invitations, Etc., Etc. Also, Valuable Suggestions on Home Culture and Training. Compiled from the Latest Reliable Authorities, by John H. Young, A.M. Detroit: F.B. Dickerson & Co., 1883.
1883(II): Hill, Thos. E. Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms. Chicago: Hill Standard Book Co., 1883.
1885: Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers, 1885. From a plain text file provided by Brent Ross.
1892: Robinson, Nugent. Collier's Cyclopedia of Commercial and Social Information and Treasury of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. New York: P. F. Collier, Publisher, 1892.
1899: Parsons' Hand-Book of Forms: A Compendium of Business and Social Rules and a Complete Work of Reference and Self-Instruction, with Illustrations, 13th ed. Battle Creek, MI: The Central Manufacturing Co., 1899.
and as goldenrod aura crowned your brow
whence the stars were set at your feet
twas never guessed, never glimpsed
that it would crash
clawing
gasp
so we point under heaven's weight
at each other, we fight
unstoppable
breathless
hate
now we feast on a riche
holocost of
mem'ry
and
killing, sweating,
fucking,
then
we held
to
us
forgetting all reasons completely
-
10,8,6,4,2,1
8,6,4,2,1
6,4,2,1
4,2,1
2,1
1
8
