He only
loves me
when I’m
looking
but I’ve
got eyes
in the back
of my heart
Tag: Poetry
Like + Lust = List, Not Love
Does love not
teeter totter?
One day you
love him the
next you
do not
Let’s abolish
the word altogether
Reserve it for pets
and grandmothers
He and I decided
that lovers List
Like + Lust
We lovers do not
very well sustain
Love
We lust like hell
and we like enough
to stay together
We only love when
we are pathetic, which
isn’t often enough.
We only love when
you are looking.
Or that’s what
he did to me.
In school, I would
jump from my teeter
and watch the boy
totter down
I saw someone
else do it so
I did it too
I was the
meanest girl
on the playground
thinking boys were
play-things
Teeter
tottering
is such
a rush
and love
a fluke
Change
In my dream
I masturbated
in the corner
as a night bird
flew around
my gnarled hair
A red dot on
the center of
my arm is where
they took blood,
it was getting
black around
the edges like
the old rotting
meat in my
refrigerator
When I woke
I wanted clean
and fresh
Clean and
fresh and
quick
Peace & Nudity
Flaunt
your face
your neck
your breasts
young thing
show ’em what
they can’t have
Let’s just hope
they don’t come
claim what isn’t
theirs
What pale man
is so infamous for
Be yourself
But let’s pray,
cross our fingers
for Peace & Nudity
The Easy Way Out
I wish I knew a
golden opportunity
when I saw it
I wish I knew which
door to choose
I wish love would stand
like a buck in a meadow
and my path
were illuminated
with light
I wish my mind
knew right from wrong
I wish my legs would
find the right gait
I wish my body
knew balance
and timing
I wish I knew
better how to
keep the faith
Dreamland
Oh dreamland, dreamland
There’s no place I’d rather be
The glaring truth of me
will not set me free
I will never be higher
than I am in dreamland
Oh dreamland, dreamland
How precious your visions be
glistening,
rolling,
strolling,
hopping,
flying,
soft
and
smooth
flowered
and golden
in dreamland,
dreamland
Oh dreamland, dreamland
How plentiful and free
I do not long
and I do not greed
there is nothing and everything
with which to fill the need
in dreamland, dreamland
Oh dreamland, dreamland
There is no hunger here
There is no gluttony,
There is no dirty laundry
or mainstream TV
There is no jealousy,
no bad hair day,
no fear, no worry
All my fantasies
come to fruit
in dreamland, dreamland
All the plans I’ve made
follow through
in dreamland, dreamland
On My Knees
I grovel
at the feet
of nobody
I’m down here
but I’m not sucking
cock or closing my eyes
on you
I bow to all
A servant in a past life
A queen before that
An ancient American woman
who kneels to keep herself down
and to watch how you react
Never Again, Young Man
All my heeds and warnings
You used just like an instruction manual
Never again will I show a young man the red button
DO NOT TOUCH! DO NOT TOUCH!
Never again will I show a young man
See How That Works?
Take all my love
and give it to somebody else
Be sure and wrap it
with a pretty new bow
Conceal that it
has been tampered with
Sell it like a special
cause you know it’ll go bad soon
Use all the things I taught you
That you never knew
Look at her the way
I asked you to
Remember to call her beautiful
even if she’s not
Remember to compliment, a lot
Yes romance matters
Yes money does too,
sometimes, a little
Take all my love
and give it to somebody else
See how that works?
How Does It Last?
Love is
for friends
and grandmothers
and K-9’s,
kitty cats,
and brothers
Love is not
for sex and
lovers.
TERAH RACHELLE VAN DUSEN 