hand on forehead
hand on
chin;
tilt of neck,
tempt mouth, Open
to
Pull
The Scroll
o u u u t
and Wrap It
all
a r o u u u n d
me:
my Blacks and Blues,
my Pinks,
my Greens
(all your Loves, all your Aches
I Hold).
leave the Eye
for Love to Wink
at you …
for
Love
to Wink
at you
.
.
.
-j.e. cortlandt
Splendid Dawn Swam my
hair and face this morning … wish
you could have Seen It.
Open
Up
& Swallow
This Sea -
the Weeds,
the Shells,
the Hidden Pearls
of me.
and then
just
l
a
y
back
& Bask
in
This Warm Light.
-j.e. cortlandt
we Spoke
the Rid:
to Skin the Skid
and Flesh the Live.
and who Said it was easy?
couldn’t have been you,
and it damn sure wasn’t me.
but we Built It …
Still
Build
It:
the Breaking
of two,
in Making
of We.
-j. e. cortlandt
like Sea,
Red,
me,
you parted.
you tread
Deep
ly…
so
wet,
i Bury;
i Mummify
these nights,
these cries
with
you.
-j.e. cortlandt
kcab
and forth.
forth
… orth
or
oh …
and,
and
you and
me:
meta,
meta
we.
and,
and
in.
and out.
and
and,
and and
and and! and
and … and And, and
in.
-j.e. cortlandt
i d/vide
my
self
into something that
might fit by your side;
right next to
all your blues
(less my greens);
somewhere between
all the things
i think
you mean …
but there is just
you
+
me.
never
= we.
-j. e. cortlandt
maya angelou
