Poetry

I’m working on writing a thousand poems. I started in April 2015.

Poem #770

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

when they initiated the launch sequence,
I couldn’t move
the metal scaffolding caged me
I spat out steam
when my body contained enough rage,
it rattled the cage.
I left the ground behind,
burned away all the excess fuel
and dropped the external tanks
I made it to space
much lighter than when I started
but the core of me withstood the journey

Poem #766

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

I swim far out into the ocean
farther than my arms should take me
the waves are pushing me violently
but I wait, cold and sad,
for the giant squid to wrap me in her tentacles,
pull me down into the heavy, dark water.
the pressure will be a relief
as my skull cracks, I’ll leak out
free to float in the abyss
shapeless

Poem #765

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

my brother grins sheepishly
he’s 28, I’m 25
I work inside the building
while he paints it
I wonder if he stopped teasing me,
because I’m in here
or because he’s out there

Poem #764 – worm

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

I built a fort in the closet,
padded the shelf with two layers of blankets
and laid my body out
I read books until the sun set
and the closet light made my eyes hurt
I flipped through children’s encyclopedias
learning about spiders and elephants
I hid in there
secretly reading comic books
so my family didn’t know I was childish
I grew up in that closet

Poem #763 – wishing for more wishes

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

my brother set up a system of wishes
10,000 wishes for doing his homework
80,000 wishes for doing the dishes
100,000 wishes for not telling Mommy he was being mean
2 million wishes for getting his food from the microwave
I don’t know where he got his wishes
but I had five
I never could figure out how to spend them

Poem #762

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

I live to see your arms in fishnet sleeves
your shoulders peeking through spaghetti strap tank tops
your hair in various stages of decoration

I live for the mole surrounded by the flowers on your leg
your freckles spotting your face
your lips in a sultry pout

most of all though, I live for the calm of your voice
your patience seeping through every bit of you
your humor in a stolen moment

Poem #761

~ Georgia Tell ~ 1 Comment

Sunday,
rich kids play cards at midnight at the local boba shop
I take my boba and go home
slurping loudly to get every last ball
no, my darling, you cannot sleep
until I finish my drink.
lightheaded and frustrated,
I choke on boba
what is this life?