Cling (Slightly Mature)

[Spence]

then

--roll over SummerPeach. Footstruck on discarded
pits, this is scraped knees and these
are summer and here. Just here.

I think maybe you bled on the sidewalk?
I think maybe the injury was more serious
than a paper-thin facemask breathed out
[space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space]to your parents? I think maybe
you died? It's like I should find another hobby and you

shouldn’t have wandered so far out but now he’s breathing you
in now you’re sucked over gums and stuck behind teeth,
rancid. You rot softly into your skin. Early August
juice. Sticky-fingers. This is the sound of him
breathing, and it’s too hot. Bottle-cap snaps, the pop of your buttons.


[right]now

Look away when I touch you, look away
At the rough handfuls of your hips
My meaty grin, the wet lick
of foam on the beer's rim.[/right]

Pulp-thick swallows, this grimy bar-light
pulpit is the only way I’ll ever catch your hands--

[space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space][space][/space]Or the sound of your breathing against a glass.

--too still and brittle fruits.

[ladylilith]

I'm going to make a confession... I had a slight flutter of excitement to find you'd posted. It feels like an age! And wow, I fell like I could just eat up your words forever. This piece has such an exciting and edgy resonance to it, it's unsettling too, but you use langauge to the greatest effect in that everything is implied. You supply the reader with the tools for the imagination to build a great house of metaphor and suggestion and interpretation...

Sorry.. I'm gushing aren't I?

I was just really taken with this. A memorable read.

Welcome back Spence!!!

Lily^^

[Rassy48]

Spence,
Absolutely awsome write! Love the "then" ... "now" effect and the comparisions therein. As Lily said, you have provided the reader the means to draw his or her own interpretations through your great metaphoric phrasing. Thanks for sharing.
Joanne

[ladymaybebaby]

count me in on the gushing! What a wonderful ride this piece was! Metaphoric heaven I was in! Just beautiful!
Truly a great read... I just popped in here for a moment and I am so very glad I did! I love the format, the diction, the everything about it stuff! Where do I sign for the fan club?

-LMB
xoxo

[Spence]

Lily-- I'll never complain about gushing. Thank you so much for all the kind words, and I'm glad you think I struck the right balance in allowing the reader space for implication and interpretation. I have missed you!

Joanne-- Thanks so much! I'm glad the "then" and "now" worked well for you. I'm super happy you took the time to comment.

LMB-- You'll get a blush out of me if you're not careful. Thank you so much! This piece came a little out of left field for me, as it's not what I was intending to write at all, so I'm glad the metaphor worked well.

[Spence]

Dave, I've missed you so much! I was a little distraught when I didn't see your name floating around the boards, so I'm thrilled that you're still here in a new form! Your comment is too kind, as always, and you've no idea how much I appreciate it.

[szhao]

The images and feelings this evoked in me were amazing. Very powerful!

[jsol]

Ahh. Reading this, I am reminded (yet again) why I read poetry, or even what poetry is to me. Just what, essentially, it is capable of doing and what only it alone can do. From time to time, the practice of an art, whatever art it is I'm practicing, becomes somehow more or less than it is. I lose my bearings. The essence of the whole thing gets misplaced in the great outpouring of energy and emotion that is the practice itself. Such is life. This is why I keep maps. Be they a song, book, painting, whatever, turning to them my position becomes clear, my compass settles rightly. So thank you for the map. From me, really, there is no higher praise.

[YoursTrulyZsa]

Have never read your work (that I know of)...but WOW! And like DJ...how can I honestly add to after all has been said. I guess I need to look up other works of yours...the gals make it sound like ur amazing! ;) look forward to hitting the archives

[Spence]

Sorry to bump this up, but I wanted to make sure and thank you guys for leaving the super nice comments!

szhao and djk-- thank you both so much! I'm glad the piece was (enjoyably) hard-hitting.

jsol -- That is one of the nicest, best compliments I've ever been paid. I don't know if I am truly qualified to let my work serve as a map for anything, but it humbles me that you might think so. Thank you so much.

Zsa Zsa -- Thank you! I've only posted one other piece on here, but I amassed quite a collection on the old site haha. I'm flattered you enjoyed this piece! :)

[jsol]

I am so happy this got spotlit. One of my all time favorite poems that I've read on this website.

[dwells]

What once was yours now lives in another place perhaps, and the past holds no sway on the future - cheers and masterful Spence! ...while those buttons keep popping.

[mangodog]

shouldn’t have wandered so far out but now he’s breathing you
in now you’re sucked over gums and stuck behind teeth,
rancid. You rot softly into your skin. Early August
juice. Sticky-fingers. This is the sound of him
breathing, and it’s too hot. Bottle-cap snaps, the pop of your buttons.

Spence - I'm laughing because of your amazing sensuality put into words.
All the visual buttoned to the sounds you describe....awesome....
I mean come on! - Early August Juice - how perfectly
relatable is thatZZ??!!!

Go on - take a bow - you really channeled the unformed into something
quite alive......drew