The September 2007 poetry project consists of writing one poem per day in the month of September and putting it up for public consumption regardless of its state of completion.

Sept 2

by Rachel Levine

I do not want to dig in the dirt, down in the mine today.

Even grey, I want to look at the pink roses, the only colour left.

Their petals hang on in the wind.

I am always dreaming.

I am so tired of dreaming

Where are you love? he says.

I'm here I say.

Sit, sit here with me.

I reach up and we sit above the world.

Why do you only come to me in my dream?

He doesn't answer. He doesn't exist.

the wind rips the petals from the flowers.

They shake their heads from its force.

I am in the park again.

My lungs, plastered in phlegm. They hurt!

I won't go into the mine.

I will not tunnel and dig and find gems.

I want to be here.

My love calls me and

 I say Go away! You're not real. I'm not crazy.

The flowers shudder. There are no petals left, just rose hips.

My heart races from the medicine I take, my eyes swim.

I won't dig. I won't go down.

The wind can blow my body off and I will still be here.

©Rachel Levine 2007