Disdain Still Reigns Over the South
We hold these bayous close to hearts,
Between chicken wire these screams echo,
Held trapped blue jays,
Swan of evil,
Stripping away a soul guarded,
Leaving behind tears and shattered promises,
Hollowing out unholy, vows forsaken,
Inhaling until fire singes flesh,
Allowing demons to escape with every exhaled breath,
Popping brain cells to diminish memories,
Messages of abjection,
Pain hiding under Kohl and tanning oils,
Catching the knowledge that our bridges are soaked in gasoline,
Setting smoke into this night of utter peril,
Yelling into bathroom mirrors,
Reflections showing abused spirit,
Fear of a touch that could bare it all,
Reveal secrets just a tongue’s tip away,
I do not know the taste of truth upon my lying lips.
Dying feels so fucking good,
Numb for days,
Unfazed from thoughts of waves to come,
Undone love
Renounced allies,
Left to combat sorrow with a bag of false euphoria.
Injecting violence with a syringe of hate,
Filters littering every corner,
Smoke rings billowing from mouths rendered mute,
Silent plea for solace,
No bolt can be snapped,
No dream to stop a nightmare,
Tied to a world where skies play premonitions like a movie theater,
Unchain rage, I have no reason,
Exhausted from an internal battle,
Coming out,
A broken and tortured nothing.
New Ground
You spoke like
a lost boy
Found by a lonely wicked queen.
and she sang you
Right to bed
Didn’t she?
Held willingly in her gaze,
I faded.
My heart whispering against your ear became
an ever quieting thud-thud…
Drowned in melodies
not half as meaningful
As Mine.
Telling me
Her name.
The shade of her eyes
Flirting with the red, brown, yellow foliage.
And your marble green.
Your voice
was echoing my defeat.
Spring cleaned me out.
Packed my bags,
slipped shoes upon my feet.
To find grace in another horizon.
So I could watch your sunsets
Through reproachful scrutiny.
Gaining strength from worn soles
A constant circle
Mapped out
Redundant trees.
Until the summer heat
Sweated a new trail
beneath last year’s leaves.
Soft for the feet to rest.
—
Jamie Williams grew up in Oneonta, AL. She started writing at the age of 11, and her work is mostly inspired by fiery love gone awry. She loves reading, the outdoors, animals, Italian food, and rock music. She currently resides in Virginia with her children and cats.
