Ankh Spice
Have mercy
This island opens the iris of her day, calm
curve of bay all visioning glass
deepsight clear to the seabed stones, each
a distinct sharp note, becalmed
in unstirring kelps
oh yes here
the huge animal of the world is all lull
but I turn where the trail ends in a groan
the road inhaled by her winter
heaving
and on your side
of her body that same skin murmuring wet nothings
down there where the road was
is tearing holes in itself right this
second
and if we are any kind of people
we know what to do with an animal struggling
just to breathe
when did we close our eyes so tightly we forgot
that desperate creatures fight hard and close
more eyes as they go down
gasping
So from me running caught between breaths
to you caught in her throat
I can’t say anything except oh god you know
you know she never wanted this
curve of bay all visioning glass
deepsight clear to the seabed stones, each
a distinct sharp note, becalmed
in unstirring kelps
oh yes here
the huge animal of the world is all lull
but I turn where the trail ends in a groan
the road inhaled by her winter
heaving
and on your side
of her body that same skin murmuring wet nothings
down there where the road was
is tearing holes in itself right this
second
and if we are any kind of people
we know what to do with an animal struggling
just to breathe
when did we close our eyes so tightly we forgot
that desperate creatures fight hard and close
more eyes as they go down
gasping
So from me running caught between breaths
to you caught in her throat
I can’t say anything except oh god you know
you know she never wanted this
Biography
|
Ankh Spice is a sea-obsessed poet from Aotearoa (New Zealand). His poetry finds its heart in the deeply personal relationship between humans and our environment, and often explores mental and environmental health.
His poems have recently been published in Black Bough, Headline, The Failure Baler, Burning House, and Pixel Heart. Upcoming work will appear in Moonchild, Fevers of the Mind and other publications. His first chapbook is currently out in the great submission ocean for consideration. You can find him @SeaGoatScreams on Twitter, or at https://facebook.com/AnkhSpiceSeaGoatScreamsPoetry/ on Facebook. |
