Four Poems by Cindy Colon
 
 

MARIONETTE

I HAVE WATCHED YOU
AS YOU SLEPT
AROUND YOUR BED
MINDFULLY I CREPT
TONIGHT I'VE DECIDED
I WILL NO LONGER BE YOUR MARIONETTE
SO I BIDED MY TIME
WAITED UNTIL THE SANDMAN HAD LEFT
THEN IS WHEN I USED MY STRINGS
TO CUT OFF YOUR BREATH

A DAINTY THING

A DAINTY THING IN MY HAND
I PLUCKED IT FROM THE EARTH
I SAVED IT FROM THE BEE'S PRICK
I SAVED IT FROM A LIFE IN THE DIRT
BUT TO MY DISMAY AS THE MOMENTS PASSED
ITS PETALS BEGAN TO FALL AWAY
AS IT SLOWLY WITHERED IN MY GRASP
WHAT I THOUGHT I SAVED
I DIDN'T SAVE AT ALL
FOR WHEN I STOLE IT FROM ALL THAT IT HAD KNOWN
I BEGAN ITS UNTIMELY FALL

YOU'LL MISS ME

YOU'LL MISS ME
YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE
WHEN I'M PUSHING UP PRETTY FLOWERS
FROM BENEATH A WELL-MANICURED LAWN
WHEN ALL HAS BEEN SAID AND DONE
YOU'LL MISS ME
YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE
WHEN THE SOCKETS WHERE MY EYES USED TO REST
HAVE BECOME A NEST FOR PESTS
WHEN I CAN'T RIGHT ANY MORE WRONGS
YOU'LL MISS ME
YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE

A RED DRESS

A RED DRESS
A RED DRESS IS WHAT I'LL WEAR
WHEN YOU'RE SIX FEET UNDERFOOT
AND NO LONGER BREATHING THE AIR
A DRESS MADE OF SCARLET SILK
HELD TOGETHER WITH STRONG THREAD
ALMOST AS STRONG AS THE ROPE YOU USED
TO BIND ME TO A BORROWED BED