Wordless Words

I swear you’re not real.

 

Like grinding knuckles against shingles, blood to dust,

Cigarette and shingle dust lungs cough until the chest bruises,

Weary eyes and paycheck palms dangle in nothing,

 

Without her.

 

It’s sleepless nights, raccoon eyes, cumless sheets, cutlass spine,

Coarse hands, filthy face, unkempt nails, filed prints,

Chinless beard, earless head, budless tongue, bagged tears,

Careless lungs, continual roads, plaster prayers, splintered mirrors

 

Routine sadness,     

                                , Decayed madness

 

An empty glass, can’t put it down, can’t fill it up

 

Gone, gone, gone

 

Nothing is all is left, nothing is all I show,

Everything is buried as I wish I was as well.

Reviews

[Mark]

Although blank verse is not my personal favorite, I was struck by the forceful tactic of repeating the "-less" adjectives. That approach unified the piece, as many such are not. Then the "sadness" and "madness", which MIGHT have been intentional rhymes--I choose to think they were!--and your blank verse has suddenly approached unto free verse. The bitterness and desolation you convey quite successfully here are well-known to us all, but rarely so well expressed.

[Nobody.]

Powerful man. love the blue collar tone of voice and hard-living words...connects well with me. it takes loss of love from the lofty heights where most people have stranded it and brings down to the level where we truly live...as well as sprinkling in some wild imagery that cuts deep into our emotional selves. very genuine...I know this ache too well.
Loved it.

[Minerva des Kali Fleisc..]

I did like this, but the point of the poem wasn't for sure. I give you half credit (50) becausealthough this is farly well written it is more hard to understand. But keep up the good work!

[Anna]

Awesome!