You have replaced Beethoven
in my life.

My bones are piled up in neat little
stacks
waiting for you to
put them in your pocket.

The prickly movement under my skin,
an alligator stranded on the desert,
is your mustache
which I have been stealing, hair by hair, in your
sleep each night.

A brown thrasher is pecking at my throat.
The breath of birds
that passes over my wrists and nipples
opening the umbrella,
is your touching. I would open up anything
even my belly or crack open my bones
for you.

I would give you
anything
except a poem. Those I hold close
like diamonds up the ass in an African mine;
even those I would
give too
if you asked
but it is Beethoven you replaced
in my life.
And he had music so loud in his head
he didn’t need words.
The poet is the lover who can’t speak to—
isn’t heard by—
his love.

Diane Wakoski “Sometimes Even My Knees Smile” (via atomiclanterns)
  1. louehhhs reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  2. mezii reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  3. thestuffoflegend reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  4. sylviia reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  5. godlessbrotherinlove reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  6. loveeightdaysaweek reblogged this from reneesian
  7. trees-oh-trees reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  8. bringbackmydreams reblogged this from viskiss
  9. ournothingplaces reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  10. seeing-the-elephants reblogged this from onepieceswimmer
  11. ilove2loveyou reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  12. crawlingtowards-the-sun reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  13. nefarious-ellie reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  14. reneesian reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  15. viskiss reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  16. chazkeats reblogged this from pajamalmond
  17. lissome-labyrinthine reblogged this from atomiclanterns
  18. a-slightflush reblogged this from orbit-thesun
  19. orbit-thesun reblogged this from passade
  20. onepieceswimmer reblogged this from atomiclanterns