ADJACENT PINEAPPLE

i have two trashed picnics

two trashed picnics

 

no summer but a family summer

 

so make like a banana

and have two trashed picnics

 

my carpets are wet, wet with tears

like two trashed picnics

 

there’s a hole in my soul

where i keep the two trashed picnics,

 

bank receipts

peanut wrappers

 

and two trashed picnics

 

 

            *

 

​

surrender

 

and like the leviathan

consume the air

 

curse superstition

 

cutting

as the holly

 

no contest that other verse

 

you haven’t met

a reader like me

 

 

            *

 

​

you there, you are a druid

of terrible portent

 

i ought to be sick

i ought to be oysters

and lamb fat

 

poor pebble

 

i hear humble thunder

killing snow

and more hot white claptrap

 

 

            *

 

 

damn

these green trousers

i’m in

 

no goblin turned heroine

 

Greta agrees

garish as a peony

 

for yielding redeeming

 

jump into the mountain

ass backwards and grin

 

 

            *

 

​

“May

kindling a peach-pink

birthday rhododendron

as it should

 

Bats

in the amber milk of evening

in the circle under an oak

and thus

 

a hex on thee

a return to dust

 

for real though

you don’t have to be good

just don’t be bad,”

 

i lie, and bail like a helium balloon

 

 

            *

​

​

green green green

goes the ritual beast of Spring

 

feed the mare

her wormwood and grist

 

the cat is in

the pretty black stream

 

go home

vulgaris

you’re depressed

 

 

            *

 

​

sure, i want to be relieved of myself

and held firmly by the armpits.

here i am in Nelson, NZ

liberally applying my affection.

i swear i’ll punch right out this comfy cabin.

the trouble is, friends

each day is not a gem!

not with all this sulky creeping

not until (clap clap)

the garden is growing ladies

 

 

            *

 

​

if unseen

i sweeten

lobelia

 

do you decrease?

 

if i’m

inflicting

feelings

 

will there be apology?

 

guile and grief

death is on

the cherry-tree

 

forgive without end

​

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​

Cat Woodward is a feminist lyric poet. Her first collection Sphinx (Salò Press) was published in November 2017. She is currently finishing her PhD thesis (UEA) in lyric and robot voice. She lives in Nelson, New Zealand. Her poems have appeared in Tears in the Fence, Lighthouse, The Literateur, Ink, Sweat & Tears, Visual Verse and others. (https://www.catwoodward.com/)

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