After the Poison
I've measured out our time together
sealed it in airtight bottles
the one labeled 1998 kept close
like smelling salts
One whiff a camphor waking me
making me high on the idea of us
putting blinders on your infidelities
double vodkas and damaging words
And when that isn't enough
I open a vein and plunge in
mainlining good memories
to blot out your monstrosity
I eke you out in little doses
slipstreaming to before the bad
when your hand resting
on the small of my back was enough
It's the way I keep from overdosing
the way I keep you human
sealed it in airtight bottles
the one labeled 1998 kept close
like smelling salts
One whiff a camphor waking me
making me high on the idea of us
putting blinders on your infidelities
double vodkas and damaging words
And when that isn't enough
I open a vein and plunge in
mainlining good memories
to blot out your monstrosity
I eke you out in little doses
slipstreaming to before the bad
when your hand resting
on the small of my back was enough
It's the way I keep from overdosing
the way I keep you human
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Author's Note
This was actually meant to be the title poem for my second chapbook that was published in 2008, but it didn't fit into the political arc of the poems.
Other stories by Collin Kelley
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Worth the read. Great closing couplet.
"I open a vein and plunge in
mainlining good memories
to blot out your monstrosity". Strong.
***
What Adam said, what Kitty said, and what Gary did: ***
Great strong writing. *
These lines: "It's the way I keep from overdosing
the way I keep you human"
A powerful moment in the poem, Collin. I like.