A Face to Meet the Faces: An Anthology of Contemporary Persona Poetry

Crossing the Street, Valentine’s Day

106 A Face to Meet the Faces Crossing the Street, Valentine’s Day James Caroline —for Chet Baker I did know better that the window wasn’t a doorway but a mouth with heavy tongue. I knew but swear it grinned lady-like and the tumble those notes of a free body given to law. Build the tribute over a woman let their bodies pop and quiver wet sounds like cheap boots daring Amsterdam’s puddles. Sing that lasso my chiseled cards fanning coffee tables my rose bud throat positioning legs of ash strobe and flick of innocence disappearing with the wave of a hand. I was rough but pretty slacked notes and bright wind in my tour case. I made mistakes. 107 Fifteen Easy Minutes So here against the maw of God’s digging I tell you this sick and shake in me still I wasn’t a bad player. I loved like shutters swing open. I gathered my sagging marble my olive lungs and and milkless veins put the shiny brass in its case hoping to hear the smash the break and pour of me. I’d forgotten how I sound. I remember the mouth its cold silver warming in my hand waiting for spit and breath. ...