Sunday, July 20, 2014

Bittersweet

Bittersweet


You don a bitter orange peel cloak.

Tangy lemon tingles tart on my tongue.

I scoop the grapefruit quarter sans sugar

And smart at the startling sour.

Acerbic is what you’re offering.


No fruit-shaped confections ladled with fructose

Nor strawberries smothered in unctuous chocolate.

I scour the bland baskets with scorn

While dreaming of syrup-dripped candy.

Bittersweet is what you’re offering.


Sneakin’ down the street for satisfaction.

Praying to Virgin Mary for my sins.

I scoop the saccharine confections.

Savoring that sickeningly sweet thrill.

Anything, but what you’re offering.


And I wait for judgment’s final wrath. 


- Theresa Milstein






Sunday, July 13, 2014

The Descent

The Descent

One moment’s lapse
Descending
Alone
            Shattering
Wine crimson spilled

Respiration
One rhythm
Cresting
God’s proof a
Wretched life saved

Conduits to
Wash away
Your sins
Gold bronze and
Black as coal dust

Lips cracked desert
Decaying
Wasting
Won’t heal for
What ragged scars

Eyes hold malice
Foreigner
Stranger
Not mine your
Future confined

Secrets shameful
Hands restrained
Escape
The binds when
Mourning calls chill 

Tart utterances
Tasteless
Vicious
The wound you
Left gaped rage raw

One moment’s lapse
Ascending 
Alone
Embraced yet
Mind still adrift

- Theresa Milstein






Sunday, July 6, 2014

Modern Steampunk

Modern Steampunk

You rivet and clunk—
Cogwheel
Defective and dangerous—
Like HAL
Runs the erratic rhythm of
Time and space

We can only marvel—
Cower
At the jolts of power—
Sparking
Even when muffled
Not exhausted

Wicked Witch of the West—
Withered
Extinguished by water—
Your coals
Roar unrestrained
Scorching scars

As you barrel out of control—
Careen
I fumble for the emergency brake—
Will YOU
Ever
Run
out
of
S
T
E
A
M
?

- Theresa Milstein