Sex Without Love by Sharon Olds
Sex Without Love by Sharon Olds How do they do it, the ones who make love without love? Beautiful as dancers, gliding over each other like ice-skaters over the ice, fingers hooked inside each other’s bodies, faces red as steak, wine, wet as the children at birth whose mothers are going to give them away. […]
Saison Noir by Shaunna Harper
Is that Christmas falling in your hair? I can taste your past lover’s countdown kiss, I can smell the coming year; it smells like this. I drink this season’s red wine serenade; drunken romance is bliss. Your light spots me through falling feathers and snow; the instruments pick themselves up, tangle, reminisce; the songs say […]
For Someone, Somewhere, In Relation by Shaunna Harper
You hold your breath, stagnant, absent in the station, trains grumbling about leaving and about waiting, people passing, chattering about nothing they are actually thinking about; sex, cheap wine, finances, time, romances and of course, the weather. The flurry of snow at the entrance has nowhere to go but down. You observe the drama of […]
A Eulogy by Shaunna Harper
With smoke in my mouth and a wine glaze shimmering over my eyes like a river in the wind, I wait for this home to grow old. For the windows to stream tears as they imitate the rain, for the fruit in its bowls to turn to Fool’s Gold, for the cats, perhaps, to shed […]
Selfish World, Selfish People by Shahbaz Khan
It’s an old wine Refilled in new bottle Summer selfish Winter selfish And so is rain. Friends are good But chance turns them selfish Don’t ask about love Love is itself selfish. Winter wind you are not remedy But a curse to these selfish people, selfish world. Blow, blow and increase the pain Selfishness all […]
Sure Hit Songwriter’s Pen by Shel Silverstein
Now I was hangin’ round Nashville writin’ songs and playin’ ’em for all of the stars Watchin’ ’em laugh and hand ’em back livin’ on hope and Hershey bars So I pawned my guitar and bought a ticket home and I’s headin’ for the Trailway bus When I seen an old fountain pen laying in […]
Rosalie’s Good Eats Cafe by Shel Silverstein
It’s two in the mornin’ on Saturday night At Rosalie’s Good Eats Café. The onions are fryin’, the neon is bright And the jukebox is startin’ to play. And the sign on the wall says, IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL OTHERS HAVE TO PAY. And it’s two in the mornin’ on Saturday night At Rosalie’s […]
My Mind Keeps Movin’ by Shel Silverstein
Walk into a restaurant with chicken on my mind Look at the menu I want roastbeaf and wine A waitress comes up I order baked beans and bread Oh when she brings it I want ham’n eggs instead Because my mind keeps a movin’ bouncin’ and a groovin’ A flippin’ floppin’ every whichaway From minute […]
I Call That True Love by Shel Silverstein
You gotta wake up every mornin’, tip toe in the kitchen cook me great T-bone steak Serve it to me in bed go down the street and hustle bring me back all the money you make You gotta rub my body with sweet scented oil, cool me with a ‘lectric fan Run to the church […]
Hamlet As Told On The Street by Shel Silverstein
Now Francisco and Bernardo, they was guardin’ the castle, Leanin’ on their spears, not lookin’ for no hassle, Havin’ themselves a brew or two, When out in the night they hear woo-wooo-wooo. And here comes this ghost, lookin’ ragged and rank, In a rusty suit of armor, goin’ clank, clank, clank. They say, “Hey, Mr. […]
Beans Taste Fine by Shel Silverstein
Now a friend of mine, way back in Chicago You know, he finally made his pile. Well he got himself a mansion on Butler and Sheff An’ he was livin’ in the latest style; But I run into him, he was eatin’ in a greasy spoon While parkled in front was his big limousine. I […]
Night by Sidney Lanier
Night by Sidney Lanier Fair is the wedded reign of Night and Day. Each rules a half of earth with different sway, Exchanging kingdoms, East and West, alway. Like the round pearl that Egypt drunk in wine, The sun half sinks i’ the brimming, rosy brine: The wild Night drinks all up: how her eyes […]
June Dreams, In January by Sidney Lanier
June Dreams, In January by Sidney Lanier “So pulse, and pulse, thou rhythmic-hearted Noon That liest, large-limbed, curved along the hills, In languid palpitation, half a-swoon With ardors and sun-loves and subtle thrills; “Throb, Beautiful! while the fervent hours exhale As kisses faint-blown from thy finger-tips Up to the sun, that turn him passion-pale And […]
Clover by Sidney Lanier
Clover by Sidney Lanier Inscribed to the Memory of John Keats. Dear uplands, Chester’s favorable fields, My large unjealous Loves, many yet one — A grave good-morrow to your Graces, all, Fair tilth and fruitful seasons! Lo, how still! The midmorn empties you of men, save me; Speak to your lover, meadows! None can hear. […]
An Evening Song. by Sidney Lanier
An Evening Song. by Sidney Lanier Look off, dear Love, across the sallow sands, And mark yon meeting of the sun and sea, How long they kiss in sight of all the lands. Ah! longer, longer, we. Now in the sea’s red vintage melts the sun, As Egypt’s pearl dissolved in rosy wine, And Cleopatra […]
The General by Siegfried Sassoon
‘Good-morning; good-morning!’ the General said When we met him last week on our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead, And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine. ‘He’s a cheery old card,’ grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack. […]
Stand-To: Good Friday Morning by Siegfried Sassoon
I’d been on duty from two till four. I went and stared at the dug-out door. Down in the frowst I heard them snore. ‘Stand to!’ Somebody grunted and swore. Dawn was misty; the skies were still; Larks were singing, discordant, shrill; They seemed happy; but I felt ill. Deep in water I splashed my […]
Hero by Siegfried Sassoon
‘Jack fell as he’d have wished,’ the Mother said, And folded up the letter that she’d read. ‘The Colonel writes so nicely.’ Something broke In the tired voice that quavered to a choke. She half looked up. ‘We mothers are so proud Of our dead soldiers.’ Then her face was bowed. Quietly the Brother Officer […]
Editorial Impressions by Siegfried Sassoon
He seemed so certain ‘all was going well’, As he discussed the glorious time he’d had While visiting the trenches. ‘One can tell You’ve gathered big impressions!’ grinned the lad Who’d been severely wounded in the back In some wiped-out impossible Attack. ‘Impressions? Yes, most vivid! I am writing A little book called Europe on […]
Adaptation by Sriparna Bandyopadhyay
Adaptation As long as conscience is not deaf Pains cannot go in silent exile. Frustrations are so shameless Not ready to hide behind a smile. Who am I to register protest? Neither a celeb nor a declared activist- Speechless though having words Boiling in furry, stinging inside to bleed. Better I read a news paper […]
The Quality of Courage by Stephen Vincent Benet
The Quality of Courage by Stephen Vincent Benet Black trees against an orange sky, Trees that the wind shook terribly, Like a harsh spume along the road, Quavering up like withered arms, Writhing like streams, like twisted charms Of hot lead flung in snow. Below The iron ice stung like a goad, Slashing the torn […]
The Hemp by Stephen Vincent Benet
The Hemp by Stephen Vincent Benet (A Virginia Legend.) The Planting of the Hemp. Captain Hawk scourged clean the seas (Black is the gap below the plank) From the Great North Bank to the Caribbees (Down by the marsh the hemp grows rank). His fear was on the seaport towns, The weight of his hand […]
The Drug-Shop, or, Endymion in Edmonstoun by Stephen Vincent Benet
The Drug-Shop, or, Endymion in Edmonstoun by Stephen Vincent Benet “Oh yes, I went over to Edmonstoun the other day and saw Johnny, mooning around as usual! He will never make his way.” Letter of George Keats, 18– Night falls; the great jars glow against the dark, Dark green, dusk red, and, like a coiling […]
The City Revisited by Stephen Vincent Benet
The City Revisited by Stephen Vincent Benet The grey gulls drift across the bay Softly and still as flakes of snow Against the thinning fog. All day I sat and watched them come and go; And now at last the sun was set, Filling the waves with colored fire Till each seemed like a jewelled […]
Going Back to School by Stephen Vincent Benet
Going Back to School by Stephen Vincent Benet The boat ploughed on. Now Alcatraz was past And all the grey waves flamed to red again At the dead sun’s last glimmer. Far and vast The Sausalito lights burned suddenly In little dots and clumps, as if a pen Had scrawled vague lines of gold across […]
Alexander VI Dines with the Cardinal of Capua by Stephen Vincent Benet
Alexander VI Dines with the Cardinal of Capua by Stephen Vincent Benet Next, then, the peacock, gilt With all its feathers. Look, what gorgeous dyes Flow in the eyes! And how deep, lustrous greens are splashed and spilt Along the back, that like a sea-wave’s crest Scatters soft beauty o’er th’ emblazoned breast! A strange […]
A Minor Poet by Stephen Vincent Benet
A Minor Poet by Stephen Vincent Benet I am a shell. From me you shall not hear The splendid tramplings of insistent drums, The orbed gold of the viol’s voice that comes, Heavy with radiance, languorous and clear. Yet, if you hold me close against the ear, A dim, far whisper rises clamorously, The thunderous […]
Purple Heart Liz (My Girl At Woodstock) by Steve Sant
Purple Heart Liz (My Girl At Woodstock) by Steve Sant It was all record playing Jigging and swaying Some experiment too Although not ever I All fumbling and shy I left all the tripping to you Oh I had my wild times Fuelled by beers and wines And I once smoked a funny cigarette Though […]
Purple Heart Liz (My Girl At Woodstock) by Steve Sant
Purple Heart Liz (My Girl At Woodstock) by Steve Sant It was all record playing Jigging and swaying Some experiment too Although not ever I All fumbling and shy I left all the tripping to you Oh I had my wild times Fuelled by beers and wines And I once smoked a funny cigarette Though […]
Virgin In A Tree by Sylvia Plath
How this tart fable instructs And mocks! Here’s the parody of that moral mousetrap Set in the proverbs stitched on samplers Approving chased girls who get them to a tree And put on bark’s nun-black Habit which deflects All amorous arrows. For to sheathe the virgin shape In a scabbard of wood baffles pursuers, Whether […]
Leaving Early by Sylvia Plath
Lady, your room is lousy with flowers. When you kick me out, that’s what I’ll remember, Me, sitting here bored as a loepard In your jungle of wine-bottle lamps, Velvet pillows the color of blood pudding And the white china flying fish from Italy. I forget you, hearing the cut flowers Sipping their liquids from […]
Wintering by Sylvia Plath
This is the easy time, there is nothing doing. I have whirled the midwife’s extractor, I have my honey, Six jars of it, Six cat’s eyes in the wine cellar, Wintering in a dark without window At the heart of the house Next to the last tenant’s rancid jam and the bottles of empty glitters […]
Street Song by Sylvia Plath
By a mad miracle I go intact Among the common rout Thronging sidewalk, street, And bickering shops; Nobody blinks a lid, gapes, Or cries that this raw flesh Reeks of the butcher’s cleaver, Its heart and guts hung hooked And bloodied as a cow’s split frame Parceled out by white-jacketed assassins. Oh no, for I […]
Snakecharmer by Sylvia Plath
As the gods began one world, and man another, So the snakecharmer begins a snaky sphere With moon-eye, mouth-pipe, He pipes. Pipes green. Pipes water. Pipes water green until green waters waver With reedy lengths and necks and undulatings. And as his notes twine green, the green river Shapes its images around his sons. He […]
Snakecharmer by Sylvia Plath
As the gods began one world, and man another, So the snakecharmer begins a snaky sphere With moon-eye, mouth-pipe, He pipes. Pipes green. Pipes water. Pipes water green until green waters waver With reedy lengths and necks and undulatings. And as his notes twine green, the green river Shapes its images around his sons. He […]
Leaving Early by Sylvia Plath
Lady, your room is lousy with flowers. When you kick me out, that’s what I’ll remember, Me, sitting here bored as a loepard In your jungle of wine-bottle lamps, Velvet pillows the color of blood pudding And the white china flying fish from Italy. I forget you, hearing the cut flowers Sipping their liquids from […]
Dialogue En Route by Sylvia Plath
‘If only something would happen!’ sighed Eve, the elevator-girl ace, to Adam the arrogant matador as they shot past the forty-ninth floor in a rocketing vertical clockcase, fast as a fallible falcon. ‘I wish millionaire uncles and aunts would umbrella like liberal toadstools in a shower of Chanel, Dior gowns, filet mignon and walloping wines, […]
Crystal Gazer by Sylvia Plath
Gerd sits spindle-shaped in her dark tent, Lean face gone tawn with seasons , Skin worn down to the knucklebones At her tough trade; without time’s taint The burnished ball hangs fire in her hands, a lens Fusing time’s three horizons. Two enter to tap her sight, a green pair Fresh leaved out in vows: […]
Cinderella by Sylvia Plath
The prince leans to the girl in scarlet heels, Her green eyes slant, hair flaring in a fan Of silver as the rondo slows; now reels Begin on tilted violins to span The whole revolving tall glass palace hall Where guests slide gliding into light like wine; Rose candles flicker on the lilac wall Reflecting […]
Study in Hands by Théophile Gautier
Study in Hands by Théophile Gautier I Imperia I saw a plaster hand, on view In sculptor’s studio, set apart… Aspasia’s? Cleopatra’s?… Who? This fragment’s human work of art? Like lily silvered by the dawn, Frozen in kiss of snow, its light Loveliness dazzled me, and shone In poetry of purest white. Though pallid, wan, […]