It's Still Life

I.

It’s hot. Like record-breaking hot. I want to chill my skin across cold marble. Like shortcrust pastry needs. Or submerge myself into a wave, into the sequinned imagination of a mermaid. Like a cold water fish. Like a big old lazy cod. I want to hibernate in a green grassy mirage before I falter and fall like a scar.

blue as the sky
too vague around the edges
a scarlet swelter

II.

A Gelatinous Glisten

It’s hot. Vague
around the edges hot.
Record-breaking.
A scarlet swelter.
I want to chill my skin
on cold marble. Like
shortcrust pastry needs. Or
submerge myself in a wave, or

into the sequinned imagination
of a carp.
A cold water fish. Like
a big old lazy cod.
I want to hibernate
in a green grassy mirage,
before I falter and
fall like a scar

Reblogged for Fandango’s Flashback Friday. This poem (as two versions) was posted 3-years ago today.