“Devil gonna get you” (Bessie Smith title)

1.

Lover does not know my name

he is happy to see me

and I, him.

2.

I want to leave

this place

like I left before,

3.

can you breathe and not feel it

4.

my lover doesn't know my name

or even who he is

5.

not on an airplane.

I'd rather walk into the sea

where children

not only the one I gave birth to

are wandering in a fog whisper wailing "how did we get here"?

6.

baby berceau

beyond in no memory of mine

held quieted

7.

Haunted by knowing so little about each other

you'd stand at the cracked door like Paul Mescal

smirking enough to save me a bottle of whiskey, swinging

slurping

and volunteering to decimate me/you

here comes the bomb

8.

touch rough not love anonymous protector of your soul

accidentally keeps mine in a bubble.

9.

many words everywhere everyone dizzy looks for a moment silent

hear yourself

hear the bird

do not look

never look

at the landmine.

10.

We stand together smirking at our

kitty kitty

sit here no here.