Heart of Man

This is a poem by Lauren Conley:

The Heart of Man

Pick and choose, one will loose.

I want to hold on, suck in all that is him.

I breathe my lungs full of you

and survive off of honey and nectar

Who is this in my belly speaking poetry to my organs?

Who injected this song into my veins?

I am infected with the heart of man.

I am aware that I, helpless,

Must give it all up to him

Now, drunk on lemons and summer,

Spill my heart to the musicians who

Do not hear,

Singing their same songs over and again.

I slept in the room with you,

You said we’d be good,

Said, “You are good to be with.”

I’m fraying at my belly and I cannot

Hold together this body of thread and cotton and yarn

Hold me. Hold my eyes shut

Hug my waist and clutch my shoulder as I

Cling to this one week of a life I cannot have.

A terrible joke, a mean tease

I tasted you and now I need to be introduced to nothing else.