Tuesday, July 2, 2013

James Babbs- Three Poems

Transmission

this time
when I open my eyes
I see the face of madness
laughing at me
from across the room
the face with the beautiful eyes
the same one I’ve seen here before
but I’m not afraid
I keep staring
waiting for something to happen
and the longer my eyes linger
the less clear it becomes
I see the face wavering
like an unstable transmission
broadcasting live
from an unknown place
and sometimes
I lose the image completely
and see only darkness
where the face has been
but the laughter remains
ringing in the air
it finds a way inside
and for weeks
it nests in my brain
I hear it
when I’m walking around
this constant roaring
and when I try to lay down
I close my eyes
but can’t fall asleep


She Lives In a Green House

heading west and I’m the only car
out here on this country road
the blades of the windmills
turning in the distance
I can see them
just above the tree line
against the crisp blue sky
I keep moving
but I’m not going anywhere
I just started driving around
because
I didn’t want to stay at home
gliding past barren fields
and the trees left unclothed
their naked limbs
waving to me in the wind
I still know where she lives
small green house
at the top of the hill
but it’s miles from here
in the opposite direction
and tomorrow’s the first day of Spring
but it feels so much colder now
than it did last week


I’m Sitting In My Car

having one of those
panic attacks
that come over me
every now and then
without any kind of warning
in the parking lot of the IGA
Friday afternoon and
I just came here to pick up
a few things for the weekend
and I think about dark clouds
suddenly appearing
in the clear blue sky and
every disappointment
I’ve ever experienced
throughout my entire life
comes rushing back at me
why does it feel like
I can’t breathe
I close my eyes
but I hear children laughing
I wish they’d go away
and leave me alone

No comments:

Post a Comment