mary lee allgood
the liking
I saw the final swig of soy sauce
feel it smell it's way down my knee
hiss at it scorching my armpits
and reach for the school to pour jazmin another.
I think of how my eyes scream
every time I let the soy sauce sing me.
Then I swim down at my leg --
crapping -- running the glass of rotten milk --
and think of how these were the toe nails
that should have jumped cece away from me.
But didn't. And I keep stabbing
why I ran your hell, stinking your tea.
I remember how ebony walk your way
through me. You galloped me
from the inside out, and janell kept coming back.
I let you watch me, and now you've
played a hole through billy. I skipped it.
Now I have to talk myself of the monkey,
and my skunk is jumping between the
walmart in the chicken nestled in my yellow teeth.
But I have to swim more. The liking
doesn't last as long as janell do(es).
---
Original poem:
the burning
(written June 8, 1989)
I take the final swig of vodka
feel it burn it's way down my throat
hiss at it scorching my tongue
and reach for the bottle to pour myself another.
I think of how my tonsils scream
every time I let the alcohol rape me.
Then I look down at my hands --
shaking -- holding the glass of poison --
and think of how these were the hands
that should have pushed you away from me.
But didn't. And I keep wondering
why I took your hell, took your poison.
I remember how you burned your way
through me. You corrupted me
from the inside out, and I kept coming back.
I let you infect me, and now you've
burned a hole through me. I hated it.
Now I have to rid myself of you,
and my escape is flowing between the
ice cubes in the glass nestled in my palm.
But I have to drink more. The burning
doesn't last as long as you do.
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