The Poetry Project

Drawings and Cento

Suzanne Goldenberg

Cento for friends & lovers

A hut in a field lone standing
willows whiten, shiver aspens-------------------- I push my face
the size of your palm/ against the side of the window
to feel the minutes of our short attention slip
i must be the bridge to nowhere ----------------- I feel
like i could disappear in the fog along with everything else what part of me can i make tinder
our crisis is not just on the outside
at the train station i remember you turned me over
in bed i forget all details
And I've gone back to being someone i never was

A hut in a field lone standing ----------------------------------- Layli Long Soldier
willows whiten aspens shiver ---------------------------------- Tennyson
what part of me can i make tinder --------------------------Brian Batchelor
I push my face the size of your palm/ against the side of the window Ocean Vuong
to feel the minutes of our short attention slip --------------------Simone Weil
i must be the bridge to nowhere --------------------------------- Donna Kate Rushin
Without this exchange of the barest recognition, I feel like i could disappear in the fog along with everything else ---------------------------------------------------- Kimmerer

at the train station i remember you turned me over.------------------- Sam Ace
And I've gone back to being someone i never was -----------------clarice lispector
our crisis is not just on the outside--------------------------------------Flusser
in bed i forget all details ---------------------------------------------- Bernadette Mayer

the beings I love are creatures
------------------------ Without this exchange of the barest recognition, I feel like i could disappear in the fog along with everything else Kimmerer

Lay you down on the leaves watch you fight yourself sam ace

are again struggling against me as i ask you to take

Please put your hands where my needs can see them Sam ace

But you hear how it feels always Layli LS
trust i will flower in your hand
a voyeur’s only power is longing Hayes
when i traveled to the smallest part of my body, i found CYTOPLASMIC SPACE Terrance Hayes

my ungainly body stumping over the mud flats with a look of transformation AC
How tiring it is to disagree with everything. LR

Work of the Friends & Lovers Feminist Reading Group

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