The Middle

STACEY TEAGUE
 

What name do I want to name my life?

 

It's almost January.

 

I go for a walk.

 

To look for evidence that things are getting better.

 

And I see it.

 

In the blackberries that line the path.

 

Remove the bitterness.

 

It's like summer in the city.

 

I read your poem on the lawn.

 

We lie down to avoid death/wind.

 

If you want to use the whole body.

 

Jump into the sea without fear.

 

Sleep: Stay in the air.

 

Inside, my flatmates are very happy.

 

I try to drown it out with disturbing pop music.

 

What do I need to summon you into my life.

 

I once loved a woman who loved me.

 

But look how it plays out.

 

I can use my whole body.

 

You send me a photo of yourself pointing at the moon.

 

With a big grin and I heart react it.

 

The sky is still smeared pink in the middle.

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Stacey Teague wrote hoki mai (if a leaf falls press, 2020)