i am collapsing

my own gravity is a sour taste

metallic like blood in my mouth

i bit a penny when i was a child

the taste stayed with me all of my life

this tastes like that

loneliness is a slow swallow

a lump that will not go down all at once

i keep swallowing, but it is still there

one bit of myself at a time

displaces itself

i sit beside myself in a recliner

wondering, “where am i disappearing to?”

Reviews

[Linda alexander]

Florastor or probiotic is the partial solution, the poem reminds me of intestines where aggressively proliferating clostridium difficile (Cdiff) in the intestinal flora destroying all the natural helpful bacteria in the intestine, later on intestine loses it's capacity to do it's own functions changing to something different unless vancomycin or metronidazole is used in timely fashion, depression or loneliness is way more than in the past, nature, hobbies, support group, spiritual way, managing with medications, writing, calling friends, watching movies, venting, defocusing, avoiding situations triggering the negativity all can contribute, I really like the metaphor and the way of presentation

[paddy d daly]

Depression, an ailment of our times and many
times a taboo subject, your words bite their way
into this, so well expressed. Best wishes. Paddy.

[Ed Hart]

the inner wilderness is larger than any world the minds of men can make...that place you are disappearing into is the immensity of your Self...good that you have a recliner...

[paul sal.....]

move to a big city, then run back to alone- ness, sigh a relief, the penny might be worth something

[Coyote Poetry]

Hard to stop when we are falling. I like the honest thoughts and the question at the end. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

You have been sleeping....it's time to arise.....scream loudly.....greet the day with....with....inspiration

[jacob erin-cilberto]

gravity pulls us down from the time we are born until we grow old...and we really feel the gravity in later age.

i love the "penny" aspect of this...reminds me of the wishing wells..but instead of throwing the penny in it for good luck, the speaker bites it and has that sour taste all through life....maybe at the end throwing the penny in the well wishing to reverse fortune.

j.

[Lyn Anderson]

I am never disappointed when I stop by -- anyone who has experienced that taste can relate -- beautiful.

[m.s.early]

Thank you KL. You are very kind and I appreciate it.