On vellum fair his feather travels, back and
Forth crocheting dots, and lines and forms, dancing
Laces full of mysteries.
And from the scratch of the tip upon the piece
Of animal skin, coasts, mountains and pikes
Came to rise. Here and there a rough display of places
And lands came to life.
There’s a river past this hill and a forest
At its top. A town merchant teems with streets,
Roads, strongholds, oceans, an isle adrift.
Bedrunk with ink the map gets filled in as
The candlewax in small drops fall, ‘till
Darkened regions get a trail to lead in.
Knotting threads of a genesis he strives to braid
For storytellers, so raconteurs in bold black lines
Can tell enchanters and kings where they’ll lie.… ...continue reading
1. You do not exist yet, and my life is not complete.
3. You’re six months old, cheeks rounder than apples, and I reach out to touch you, The Creation of Adam. I prayed for you in the delivery room. Thanks for returning my calls.
5. We’re dancing on two single mattresses in your living room. The end credits to a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie loop ceaselessly. I don’t even know if you like this movie. We watch it every time I come over.
8. We’re changing in your bedroom after playing lions and my eyes wander— catch. You’ve been looping in my head like Mary-Kate and Ashley have ever since. I want my eyes to stop being mine. I recognize this feeling as shame.… ...continue reading
When I talk of home,
home is a beautiful girl
that has lost all her dignity.
I step in this cold chamber,
my feet kissing the ground
in a tip toe.
I enter this lonely room
like a discarded brick
standing in the vastness
of the rough walls—
walls that for long
pitched my skin off
to feed the raw hunger
of a fatherly figure.… ...continue reading
He installed a zipper above his heart,
to ease the opening and closing of it.
At first without a key,
until he grew annoyed how,
during warm weather,
people would open or close it
based on their own whims.
So he added a lock,
had a few keys made,
gave them out.
Then the same problem emerged,
people letting themselves in even when
he didn’t want them to,
even those he thought he could trust.
So he got a combination lock instead,
memorized the code and never gave it out.
Years went by and one morning
he woke and, when he went to unzip
his sternum to play with his heart for a few minutes,
he discovered that he’d forgotten the combination.
From then on, opening his chest
would be impossible
without risking serious injury.… ...continue reading
A bitter breeze amongst the lonely seas.
Rogue wave…….^…..
Pricks my ears and dries my tears.
Rogue wave growing….^….
A single prayer that bleeds bare.
Rogue wave growing stronger….^..
Bleak downcast on the forecast.
Rogue wave growing stronger and..^…
I surrender to the fears I render.
Rogue wave growing stronger and
overtaking….^…….I’m drifting.
Rogue wave growing stronger and
overtaking my….^…I’m denying.
Rogue wave growing stronger and
overtaking my mind..^..I’m drowning.
Rogue wave growing stronger and
overtaking my mind as…^.saline kisses
Rogue wave growing stronger and
overtaking my mind as …^gasping.
Rogue wave growing stronger
and overtaking my mind as I submerge^
– Steve Oehmen… ...continue reading
Love, leftover in the
refrigerator night: 4 A.M —
The machines still
in my bones.
Old dirty lace – snapped!
Steel-yard rain,
hot-coiled smoke,
smell of septic
talk, talk, talk
to stay awake.… ...continue reading
I went to work at the prison
as I do every day.
I aid incarcerated women
with their education.
This day, I saw smoke
rising across the street.
Firetrucks were flashing—
men were in the street and yard.
I did not stay for too long—
I had a busy day ahead.… ...continue reading