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Two Poems
by Todd Colby


Drawing a Breath

I drew a breath
and spit a spark
delay the onset of dementia
with various vitamins
and amigo acids
go all stove pipe slacks
and green muscles
this message was
a serving of earth
the hands lashed
the crest of your bangs
a mop for your ache
with warm wishes
I stoop feather flag
into gentle maps
to your California bone
lippy little fuck
you got the gassy star
to grease now.

My 3:30 Pill

Everyone is talking about the new microwave
because that's all they've got to talk about
the air in here is a wreck and I'm bending
in half, "like a balloon," she says, while
stroking her bag of popcorn, so florid
what's on your mind or what can we do
for you now that you don't really exist?
A canopy of lungs exiting butter instead
of this plaza, which is tacky as my elbows
on the back of a sticky horse, come here you,
let's surprise ourselves by leaving traces
of what we left behind where we choose
to stay. A dreamy little shit wakes up and
takes the cake, the sock, and the scalpel.
I'm leaving on a jet plane and I know when I'll
be back again. I told you so.