A mind filled by the heart sees a world full of beauty and compassion.

Contents

. ignorance . intensity . indignity . iniquity

Ignorance

to fail to notice

to avoid understanding

to lack and to want

EXPLORERS

Perched between the doorway and

the damp porch matching my mood

gazing upon the layer of ashen haze

covering what once was vibrant and fresh

like a nude dive into a chlorine pool

my lungs vapour stung, gasps focused averting eyes

towards the gutters’ drip of winter’s mournful ending song

puttering amongst the scavenger trucks

collecting and littering the alleyways for rare metals

my pacing rummages through what’s become

a blur of tasks and mindless to-do lists

rather belonging lost to see what the moment brings

yet clinging to the performative smile to delight others

I find myself distracted in their mouths widening

the aching membranes of 5k runner’s lungs smoking and veins drowned in coffee oscillating, my chest thumps

demanded by deep throat growls, and I swallow the howl

of dread of walking through the door of corporate drone

I splash my face to wash yesterday’s expressions off and silence the ringing in my ears echo’d by expressions of somebody needing a vacation clearly only the perpetual pay check could vouch for such an escape to momentarily pretend play of actual change, to leaving routines

for the dust of trails cowboys feigned to blaze

the right to prove we aren’t dandy clichés

incites reels of imagined highs fancied by capitalist desires so good the life barreling through cracked cloud sun yolks streaming down graces heftier in gold than paydays, paid debts, speed limits, landmarks, or feigned happiness

resigned to the brush of some blush the late winter rains don’t get anything soaked wet but mist vapours of springs’ promise for a different version of the same story.

© Mari Amman. All Rights Reserved.

Poetry, Prose &Suche VOL I.

First edition 2023, electronic distribution. Text and Images by Mari Amman.

The poems contained within this volume were drafted circa 2006-2009, in Chicago, USA, and edited during spring 2023 in Paris, France, with the enormous support of The Trélex Residency.

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