By Amy Simone Piller
In a bar late
I want affection
and you want me
to be confident
You find these things mutually exclusive
as if antonyms aren’t related
as if each opposite doesn’t rely on its other
to exist.
Down the bar
an extra-marital affair brews
I desert the vicinity
rambling about lack of trust.
You are offended
I just mean logically speaking
perhaps we need more
than our opposites.
I am not mad
I [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
Floating sounds
bathed bliss
confidence strumming
cresendo on crescendo
amorous fantasy
forever sounding
spontaneous rhythm
ever changing routine
unending keys of new
no choral cravings
nonlinear you
a speck in the world
to follow to hold
to blow like a daisy seed
hoping
to listen to, to dance to
I want your trance
chance me, write me
trust me, love
you play my mind all day
long songs still untold
lie in my breasts
the world is [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
A son scares
when first he sees his father play
a part, we are all so fixed-gear
chugging up-hill continuously
A girl delights
When first a construction worker turns
His head not bent on jack-hammering
Concrete; we are physical creatures; neat
Simple joys of perspective
later seduced by knowing
more than meets the eye.
By Amy Simone Piller
In tenth grade the teacher said
“The paper is due tomorrow
I don’t want to hear about any broken arms
or anything.”
That evening I hurt my shoulder
playing basketball
cry begged my mom
to type what I said
despite her protestations
the absurdity, my hysteria
we needed to go to the doctor
I wouldn’t budge
I was someone who
followed directions
what was wrong with that
gosh darn it?
I [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
I.
Along the empty subway tunnel
rats work busily and life teems
unafraid of oncoming trains
Small enough to avoid danger
we muse until the repeated onslaught
of will we make it
until the imminence of decisions
the night before worse than the morning of
II.
Wrap up who you are
in a small blanket
watch it face a storm
like sporting match
like tennis
only the core sustaining
When in [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
OCCUPY
No one ever thanks the occupiers
we prefer our own sleazy leaders
to paved over explosions
In our need to fix
we disconnect
reality wanes
philosophy guides
nobody wins
Grabbing childhood toys ingrained
Television worship heralded
pedestalled sound bytes
masking as communication
Jumping from planes
backpacks overflow
Campers stake tents
tides reverse
fighting nature an old curse
Hands lose grasp
cities rise
weeds sprayed
grass roots mostly lose
The world once flat
three dimensioned
a mobius strip of [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
Hold someone
on a bike
Let it wobble not fall
keep it right
Calmly repeat
many times:
“Shoulders down,
pedal faster, steer!”
Don’t be afraid
only wince from behind
Convince yourself
she’ll clear upcoming poles
Let go
By Amy Simone Piller
I.
In tenth grade the teacher said
“The paper is due tomorrow
I don’t want to hear
about any broken arms
or anything”
That evening I hurt my shoulder
playing basketball
and cry begged my mom
to type what I said
despite her protestations
the absurdity, my hysteria
we needed to go to the doctor
I wouldn’t budge
I wanted to be someone
who exceeded expectations
What was wrong with that
gosh [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
I.
When in last place in a race
I swim differently
flailing arms
tacking zig zag patterns
frantic yet unceasing
quitting unimaginable
less effort yields drowning
no give up
Instant replay wish
to grant myself serene childishness
re-conjure me up, fearlessly risk loss
scraped knee smiling learned something new
(not a modicum of knowledge
a fact wouldn’t do)
Strive higher (as big as learning to read)
re-conceive how I’ve seen
for the [...]
By Amy Simone Piller
September is hard on perfectionists
nothing is done, anxiety surmounts
prior beginnings replay in memory
like radio songs recalling lost loves
But little footsteps will arrive tomorrow
little faces count on us to overcome
our notions of supposed to and just right
Don’t give up, at all costs, remain calm