Issue 30: Claire Crowther

Withheld With Equal Status

i soundsunder

I’m used to sitting without speaking

to others

sitting by me without speaking

till one of us says: it’s time to talk

to others

beside yourself and time to break

up silence all together   Alto-

gether we

chat and chatter and all without

the noise I hear without speaking

before we

begin to talk our lip and trip

of sound   Ear isn’t empty nor without

its other

world I hear inside my silence

that it is the sussuround of us

we other:

sounds that shushhush the our of self

ii lovefail

a wasp crawls

across a

glass pane won-

dering at

such sudden-

ly toughened

air I’m with-

held lungs crushed

held lungs crushed

I let my

distress un-

do and un-

hold you your

arms with hold

my pull a-

way we’re on

shy off-ice 

shy off-ice

hold tight my

word hoard warns

word hoard warns

with holding

me I feel

such shivers

such shivers

listen we

are withheld

what does this

what does this

iii  a sort of salix two broken poems                       

first poem no end

The eau de nil leaves of the curling willow try

  during every rainfall

    to go out from inside

the stem that holds their feet; they pierce a small door. This

  is how a shy one leaves.

    She wills a frail self: go.

On the curve of the stem, rain and sun unlock each

  wrapped-up leaf. I step out . . .

second poem no beginning no end

. . . so we’re tree’s elixir /

   sucked out in exchange for

   fear / while beauty names this

leaf / I don’t confuse them \

  beauty is amrita \

   immortality / we

extract . . .

Home  |  Issue 30