Poetry, by Laura Alaniz

Poetry

Nothing makes people flee

Like reading them poetry

They value it in theory

But please don’t make them read

Surprise me with your verse

You have to grab me

Rhyming will only make it worse

You won’t catch me with just flow

(2015)

Good secret Bubbles inside Let me out Bad secret Indigestion

Would I rather be A younger me? More productive Stronger Would i have to give up

The human heart ...leaps and jumps ...races and sings ...sighs and groans The treacherous heart can

Clinical smells Polite strangers The only thing worse Than being here Is to not be able

Pretty and dainty Rich girl feet Meant to be Beside the pool They don’t like to work

My sister’s cookies Chocolate chip Got my nephew to Say her name For the first time

Itus and Itis Crashed my party I didn’t invite them! I whisper to my sister They make my skin crawl

Manos fuertes No me sueltan De la cama Yo les digo Me tengo que ir

The strings that attach me To this world Ground me Yes they sometimes Keep me from flying

I am a consumer Female Twenties I buy Cheap clothes and lattes

He says I could never Get away with murder For I leave Pieces of me everywhere

It’s not that I’m sad Though I am It’s not that I’m discouraged Though I am It soaks deeper

I struggle to Keep it together Maxims and mottoes On repeat In my mind

I cannot divide My heart Into four pieces Equally Geometrically

¿Te duele Cuándo piques tu dedo? No Lo hago por pura diversión Lo que duele