Friday, July 14, 2006

Blood Orange

Blood Orange

I struck a match one quiet soot stained burnt evening in a darkened room
And it burned clearly, brightly convinced of its existence
As its head and body shrivelled, I stared at it and wept
To the bitter raindrops of an out of tune piano
That stood nearby, weeping itself to pieces and discord
Its keys falling dejected in a clanging heap like bones of some great primeval protector
Long ago its fearsome charms disintegrated with its strings
Leaving this sobbing shell crumbling beneath my gaze
As I strike another match to light my way as I leave the room

I walked down the heavy sun wearied streets one restless sweaty evening
My feet carried me out past the sordid river, full of tears and broken promises
And I walked on silently for a little while
Then I came upon three wise men, discombobulated and annoyed
Seeking for their sacrificial rites
One of them saw me, and he raised his smoky hand in a disjointed greeting
he called me closer, and bid me hear not what he would say
But I listened
And he spoke of many things, things I knew and did not know but all seemed the same
Then he gave me a blood orange and I walked on

I stared at the orange, round and nondescript in my shaking and unstable hand
It smiled back at me, its red and lusty teeth a shock in its pale sunset skin
I looked at it again and the expression changed
From the sanguine smile of a childish warrior who takes a rapturous delight in every kill
To the contemplative sensual lips of a lover wrapped in lustful indecision
Her eyes wandering to some new and steel hearted plaything
In a cold and envious night
But still her moth eaten heart is lonely and she longs for the release the swirling blackness of the night
And curling redness of this fatal orange may bring
And I stare at the orange
And it stares back, unmoving and alone

2 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Man, this piece almost makes me feel guilty about the TJ's Blood Orange soda in the fridge. It beats the living daylights outta Orangina, huh?!

This work makes me wonder if there is not actually an individual out there who is stranger than I. Man, I gotta get to working on that now, ya know? As if I don't have enough to do. Fie 'pon thee for threatening my weirdness apex.

No, wait! That's the Obnoxiousness Apex. Sorry. I forgive you. 'Nother blond moment, though the hair is brown. Maybe Donn's been hangin' around too much, and. . .

Oh, I wish!

6:14 AM  
Blogger Andrew said...

Orangina is gross. I never understood what everybody else in my family sees in it.

Ach, I could never begin to threaten your obnoxiousness apex.

Hm. I've been having blond moments recently, though that might have someting to do with the fact that I've been running on 4 hours of sleep for a while.

9:40 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home