Erasure of emotion
As safety as leisure
Gaslighting assumption
Erasure is necessary
Emotion is treachery
Lies we tell ourselves
For peace and quiet
From responsibility
—
Wrapped up in plastic,
Wrought by guilt — shame
Packaged up in woe
—
The gasps, the sighs, the heightened hitched breaths
The moment it grips the passion, it rises
But then the moment is lost, the moment is fine
The frustration, the sadness she cannot hold back or hide
-
We've been here before
-
The gasps and gaps of silence, the flirtatious liminal space they provide
The grip, the body, the twine, the woven of flesh — the moment is
-
We've
We've been here before
-
The frustration peaks as the momentum peaks, then drops
-
We've been here before
—
not a con
-
Hippy bullshit
Hug a tree kiss
—My knee
Fuck a bee
Compulsory
Take our clothes off
—We don't have to
For Mother Nature
To know we care
-
Bondage and trees
In the name of
Peaceful protest
Return to nature
-
Bark scratched
Buttocks and bits
Tits and lips
-
Love love love
—It's easy
Love love love
Never—enough
-
Remember
Consensual
Is sensual
-
Not a con
Collaborative
Something
—Unique
-
Like tassels sway
As tresses sashay
And hips roll
-
But—
never away
-
And hormones betray
As down you lay
Paying flirt's toll
-
But—
never dismay
—
Protozoa parasitic
A cast of 10,000
But still a minority
-
As the free-living
Ride high, controlling
Bacterial cycling
Nutrients
-
Smallest and deadliest
Tiniest and
—
Within the safe space I find myself.
I don't know it's a safe space, but it doesn't feel threatening.
It feels safe. There is warmth, and I am soothed.
-
I have no concept of time, so have no idea how long I've been here.
Not that it matters.
-
As the lights darken, it feels like night encroaches on the day.
A warm, soft but wet and heavy “limb” slides across the top of my head.
-
It feels safe because it doesn't feel threatening.
Not as I remember it from the past — the very distant past.
-
I'm in
*
Thanks for reading!
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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Comments (13)
I really love how bitter this felt underneath the brightness of the narrator's voice. It's a really unique blend and I loved it!
I felt like I was swinging on a pendulum.. made me think of Would you like to swing on a star? Carry moonbeams home in a jar And be better off than you are Or would you rather be a mule? I think you are swinging on a star! nice twist
You never disappoint, Paul. Always full of surprises.
I love how the form also tells a story. You are so clever with your form
Avoid the feeling only to feel it later but much worse-Love how second part was more positive
This felt very much like a trip into Paul's spiralling mind in the most wonderful way. There's so much emotion tugging one way then another. There was blushing on my end at the "tits and lips" section then a smile of appreciation at the line "consensual is sensual." I've read it three times. Each time through feels different and I'm left feeling out of breath and confused in the end. It's kind of like waking up and trying to piece together a fever dream that nags just out of reach.
Hmmm, trippy
I so remember the hippy days of the 60s and 70s...my generation. I thought they would last forever but now they feel just like a dream with psychedelic colors and peace signs...lol
What a truly emotional poem. Good job.
Excellent as always Pauli boy!
This feels like both good and bad at the same time. Like yin and yang. Loved your poem
This is by you after all so I should have seen the poem shift coming miles ahead. And yet here I sit bemused, amused and surprised instead. Schooled once again by an unreliable narrator. Although the hints of birthing intermixed with coital bliss was also an interesting and devious twist. You’re a wonderful poet even when you decide to get a wee bit naughty, Paul!
“The gasps, the sighs, the heightened hitched breaths” “And hormones betray As down you lay Paying flirt's toll” 🔥🔥🔥 Love this!