this flesh isn't sad
there's nothing like
nothingness
you in whom these
flamingos live
the good conscience
of Third Avenue
I wanted the poem
to tell me something
I didn't know
whatever is bottled up
must be released
there are green marriages
looking for a second
world
adventures of
the onion and somnambulant
days, not desires not listened to
My curiosity is absolute
I have never tried to
escape the dark side
of my soul
this is your travel companion
remaining unsettled
I'm not in danger of being
happy forever
there's a secret that's not
known about hearthfire
I write first drafts in long hand
but I don't do much rewriting
a lot is going on in the rooms
I'll never walk into again
the shrine comes with us wherever we go
be an irritant to somebody at a stoplight
I ain't stealing nothing I ain't perfecting a look
I want to get the damn joke told
things are moving faster than we realize
there are thousands of pins on the floor
speeding toward the hyacinth in the labyrinth
And not just
what's not in
the bag
genius isn't a
gendered thing
speaking of fire
in any of
its guises
the world
is language
and from southern
light
you came and
spread your legs
over my offering
Uche Nduka is a Nigerian-American, award-winning poet and NYFA recipient. Author of a dozen books, his collection of love poems, Facing You, is from City Lights. He teaches literature at Queens College. Uche’s surreal poetry was in the first Live Mag!
