Two copies of my first print publication arrived today.
Here is the poem that was published; it is a fixed form called a pantoum:
With Talons
Driving into my narrowed gut, your eyes
say nothing, read everything out of me.
I find your whisper at my neck
overwhelming. My breath, a gust out of me.Say nothing. Read everything. Out of me
you take what you want; your lips are always
overwhelming my breath. A gust out of me
and I reach for you with talons.You take what you want. Your lips are always
painful to watch when not on my body.
And I reach for you with talons,
with everything, but I come up empty.Painful to watch when not on my body,
driving into my narrowed gut, your eyes
with everything, but I come up empty.
I find your whisper at my neck.— Halsted M. Bernard
This poem was published in the 2004 issue of the “poem memoir story” literary journal.
4 Comments
wow. your writing just left a bruise.
Many congrats, as I know how awesome it is to hold those contributor’s copies in your hand, then open it up to see your name in the TOC and your poem in print.
Your poem is fantastic as well, although I’m embarrased to admit I’d never heard of the pantoum form.
Congratulations!
I always love your pantoums.
I was like. ah form poetry its like that… what is it called? .. oh yeah villanelle. I have never written a form poem. I enjoy reading them. But there is a certain fear they generate in me.
like listening to a latin mass.