I Wanted to Write a Poem

I Wanted to Write a Poem

Poem by Kirsty Logan
Art by Jeff Smyers


I wanted to write a poem
that you would understand

so I couldn’t write up
to my years spent in books
while you worked
and lived
and moved.

I could not write down
to words of one syllable.
I would not write down
to you.

We need a new language,
one that speaks
of us together

of music art lit, lazy
sundays, drawing
owls on t-shirts, drawling
basslines over riot grrrl
of words like joybomb and scattersong
words like honeymouth
like inkdrink buttermuffin pollywiggle plantcrunch basslidrench
slipsun heartbreakbeat


-refers to “I could never charge for words” from the poem This poem is free by Mindy Evans.