"near death & hormones, a ruined glosa," "Make No Gentle," and "brief boy entering with apples"

near death & hormones, a ruined glosa

you shred the red flower
your fingers are holding
with your candour
the green in the speech
of your mouth will rust

when let loose on those
who’ve been ignoring you
your body is wrecked
you are afraid of death

you weep at the sight
of the last yellow daisies
bowing their heads &
surrendering to the dirt

words in italics from Gwendolyn MacEwen, “The Choice.”

Make No Gentle

thinks it’s raining
and gloomy to match
her mood can’t believe
the sunshine before her
eyes stop still restrict
movement take midol
the red daze haze of sleep
she wants to fuck and fuck
and fuck and fuck
makes no gentle
only wild how can she
stand flood of anger
that surges up inside
her, a temper that will
get her thrown out of
her apartment building
is loathed by washed
out colours imagine the
too large heart of a small bird
beating too quickly and
too strong for its small body

title from “Selah,” Gwendolyn MacEwen

​

brief boy entering with apples

she’s a homebody
who wears cardigans
drinks tea finds music
in public too loud
dichotomies private
earphones mainlining Lou
Reed’s Blue Mask directly
to synapses she is obnoxious
better to hermit keep mean
words to self smile at waiter
who asks if her dining companion
is her son who replies that
the  light in her eyes keeps
her young she burns
better she should
​smoulder in corner
away from all
were it not for the
quiet ache in her bones

title from “Evidence of Monday,” Gwendolyn MacEwen

​

These poems are part of a series, Electric Garden, which takes language & imagery from the work of Gwendolyn MacEwen, Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton. The poems address the physical & mental effects of entering menopause: hot flashes, cold flashes, temper tantrums, menstruation, increased sex drive, sleep troubles, creativity. Subjects a woman is not supposed to talk about. The series is ongoing.