more nadir than zenith by Joseph Jengehino

more nadir than zenith
by Joseph Jengehino

more nadir than zenith
airplanes revved themselves into perfect crucifixes
in suicide spirals

and you thought:

I could get her back.

things fell from the sky of the high ceiling
confetti, airplanes, balloons
colored lights put themselves in front of your eyes
in back of your eyes

as the balloons fell you kicked them like stretched bellies of air
across the floor
they moved languidly
like billiard balls in slow motion
across the highly polished tile

there was algebra to their motion
mathematics could predict their courses
you couldn't
but it could be done, you were sure

the heavy materials of your overly tailored suits and gowns made both of you sluggish
they were, after all, armor

and you were, after all, supporting these calcified bones
and you were, after all, lonely and mostly unresponsive to each other
and you were, after all, using these ligiments which have now become nearly immovable
lashed in this way
to try and budge the sluggard slouching spine
and shuffle the feet in the heavy boots
a largo of sloth-like gait
with craned puzzles of vertebrae

because this is poison
that we are drinking and giving each other

you ask for her permission

you tell her that you were trying not to let television steal your vision
and how you sat alone in your living room tonight
you had a notebook and a pen, hoping to write
instead you made a sketch of her stare
and you thought it was just right

she was the only shape
you could pray to
even your rendition of her gaze was more nadir than zenith
that's okay
even the sun has to die on a daily basis

Author bio:

Joseph started writing poetry about three years ago on myspace and discovered it to be a great way to get immediate feedback. His love for poetry grew from there. He lives with his wife and two children in New Jersey.