published
18 May
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.
