February 16, 2012

is writing my midterm in an hour

I'd rather be with
you
on our bikes somewhere
watching muscles tightening
sweat glistening
smelling of summer

instead its winter
and I'm on campus writing words for potency
words that suggest power and strength
destroy, power, eradicate, wreak havoc

I'd rather be in a dive somewhere
eating pancakes and sipping coffee
talking politics and reading The Uniter
licking my thumb
and wiping syrup off your cheek

instead I'm surviving on water
because I didn't pack a lunch
and I'm too busy writing
words for genus-species
Canadians, teachers, Michael Jackson

I'd rather be under a blanket
curled against you in bed
watching movies on the laptop, saying
"let's watch a Sinatra movie next"

instead I'm chilly in the library
watching the snow dance outside
memorizing words that describe motion
swirl, to do, deflects.