Saturday, December 5, 2009

The Manhattan Sonnets - 1

The white noise of your breathing falls like snow
And swirls up to my smile, drifting and heaping.
I feel your heartbeat everywhere I go:
It's fierce and peaceful,like a goddess sleeping.
Your wind bites like a hundred thousand knives.
I meet each slice as if it were a kiss:
Promising love in neon-dappled dives,
Keeping me distant with your tiger's hiss.
You shred me like the legs of the Rockettes;
I want to eat you like Red Devil Cake.
You fill me up with yearning and regrets;
I need you like the vampire needs the stake.
My terrible desire, vicious and pretty --
My harsh and tender love -- my soul -- my city.

12/4/09
Copyright 2009 Matthew J Wells

3 comments:

Molly said...

What can I say. I have a love/hate relationship with this city. I just can't say it as well as you do. Marvelous.

McCall said...

first line, divine.

Elizabeth Chaumette said...

Love hurts in all the glorious and wondrous wounded places ....