a choice
it’s all in the words:
rot vs. decompose
let the overripe memories fester
maggots under scalp, scratch
away at hopeless tickets, mourn
old body and way of seeing
things, desire regression and stick
head in buckets of algae water
to get poisoned with Past
or break away the parts that’ve gone
crumbly, feed to birds, take what
was created by intentional hands
and craft into sunlight, roll in soil
like a once trapped dog, get dirty, get
full of it, taste it, smell it, hear it,
become it
6 thoughts on "a choice"
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I really like the line
“overripe memories fester maggots under your scalp”
It’s visceral and unsettling adding to the sense of decay and hopelessness
Great write!
“roll in soil like a once trapped dog” is so effective for me, and I especially like the idea of feeding memories “that’ve gone crumbly” to the birds.
Bullseye on the idea of this poem.
Really great images.
Crafted into form expertly.
Love these imperative structures – especially scratch/ away at hopeless tickets and desire regression
There is so much vivid imagery and intense implications in each line
Love how your comparisons really drive the point home