I Need A Word For How I Feel After by Danez Smith
& I know, its trivial, to need language –
this tongued burden, to not settle
for I feel some kind of way.
let me skip to the point – I need a word
for how I feel after I’ve washed
out my body & the man doesn’t come.
If I make my body a lake
& empty a lake, I expect applause
for my miracle, my clean as a whistle
whistling underthroat.
I’m not mad, not disappointed or vengeful
I’m hungry & all I’ve had today is water
I’m leaking, but no one will bring a plug
maybe something like betrayal, but drenched
or sorrow, but drained & pointlessly wet.
give me a line
for the feeling
of being stood up
by a man
you had prepared
to call Lord
as if Noah built that boat, but there was no flood
or better, as if the flood came for no reason. Art by Gary Kelley
Recommended listening: Í Tokuni (Into The Mist) - Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør (must watch video) Haruki Murakami's music
Links of the Day: The untranslatable emotions you never knew you had All Things Linguistic
Ghoomakad Metta Camp
Poems found in Translation