Marci Payne

This morning’s coffee
tastes like resignation,
however,
I’m in the mood for redemption.
you can’t get from her desert south west to kentucky
the archway of plenary indulgence is not her path
demons choked on fear and comeuppance lose their way
oh ye of little faith
was there ever any doubt
Jesus was from Elyria
that Ostara was from Kentucky
and that Lazarus was from Newark, NJ
but he got stuck in traffic for 10 years
on the high roads of rt. 80
Hell
is conveniently situated
between Ohio
and California
a woman’s life
is too tenuous
delicate
billowy
spider web
close call on I-75
in preterm labor
on the way to the
Paris airport
in the rain
fragile
beautiful
precious
sacrosanct
finite
for bad friends
bad family
bad coffee
bad shoes
bad mattresses
bad jobs
bad husbands
bad debt
and bad dick
learn this by 30 for maximum
enjoyment
future
female
conquerors
of a dying planet
we were
never married
yet somehow
i still became
his widow
there’s a reading chair
i won’t allow to die
propped up with
an old Royal Typewriter case
where i drift off
dreaming unafraid
of slow-moving tornadoes
& your whispering face
weighing scientifically
which is more destructive
.
you’re haunting me
as promised
but not so much i feel put upon
which i know
you would hate
(artwork by Stephen Mackey)