I’d love to hold you to the end of time
I don’t know why, You’re heavy and suffer
from temper tantrums. Your gun has entered me
many times but you’ve never pulled the trigger.
Lovers quarrel, but that’s not us. We’re more like
friends that kiss and help the other dress.
In the end I’ll put you in a uniform.
Some days are just like that. I still don’t know why.
John Donne Help me write this poem.
I’ll play it on my guitar and sing off key.
If the message is easy the people will clap.
I’ll get paid. And in the night I’ll lay my head down
on a pillow that is used to being split in two. From me and you
in the coffin there will be skin cells and fingernails.
We’ll hide the pain by stoic love.
Say, “I loved you just because your human,
now your grass and beans, clay and a heart sack.”
Hands can hide the deepest pain.
Just by waving smiles come.
Tonight I’ll fake it for you.
I’ll drink some ale and steal the covers.
You’ll sigh, forget tomorrow you have to split
in two, break the bonds and get the sticky job done.
All pigs die. And it never made me cry
One of us will dress the other after death
The body won’t bend, the skill saw will come.
The gentle wet spots will dry.
I still don’t know why.
I’ll lie tonight, and tell you there’s nothing to worry about.
A glass of water is free and so are we.
Nothing can steal touches.
I hate memories. They come to smack me.
I saw a man shot in the head on TV
His back shoes still stand out at me.
Photographs used to be easy to take.
Now its hard to see the fear, anger, and frustration
in your cheek
I was never in Iraq, I like sand castles just the same.
The war will never end. But lets pretend
Tomorrow the boat doesn’t leave
Tomorrow the planes don’t fly
Tonight the solar system will save our bloody souls.
Wash away the guilt that one of us will lose.
I bet its you. I’m much to bad of person
I’ll live forever in mourning. I’ve had fun in your mouth
Your tongue is velvet and lavender. Hold me
through tomorrow. I’ll sacrifice nothing after
Old age never comes to friends of the sea.
I wish we weren’t children of sailors.
At least in the rest, we be at the place of our birth
Salt water wash over us and the last sea otter.
I afraid to turn a page. That will mean we are
older, gray and more adapt to decay.
When we first met I was barely 20.
Now I’m happy in the morning
and restless at night. If this big
world keeps spinning, I guess so will we.
Hold me in your words, lets pretend
the world has ears and the lessons are just slow
to come around. War is just antidote and hunger
an empty jar, a blown off arm, A piece of freedom
I was never in Afghanistan but I like cinnamon just the same
The war will never end but lets pretend
Tomorrow your boots won’t slip and go
Tomorrow you collar won’t be blue and starched
Tonight the windswept pines beat the anger out of our hearts.
Suppress the damage of the homemade bomb of our fear.
One of us will smell the others rotten flesh. The other
will gag and sway as the end moves a little farther.
If it’s me it will be ironic. I am the poet and never
do anything with danger on it. You’re the soldier.
I’ll be the crushed petal in your breast pocket.
Smell me while you die. I’ll wash you while the apple pie bakes
in the oven. And in every love song I’ll place your name
2007
Annieepoetry 