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There’s no way to tell what one could have been.

34thparallel.substack.com

There’s no way to tell what one could have been.

34MAG
May 1, 2014
Share this post

There’s no way to tell what one could have been.

34thparallel.substack.com

SEVEN DISTRACTIONS BY SUSAN BRUCE 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 26

1:

The storm works

hard, hums along.

No matter how

well-connected

so-and-so deals

with a mental disorder

beautiful mouth

curved downward

medicine stained.

2:

My mother bursts

into iridescent

cyclopean tears.

3:

A waterfall is good

at everything.

(Ken Chen refers to

himself when he asks)

The main question is

How do I write

and manage

my self-loathing?

4:

Find someone who will be

transparent with you

sleeves rolled up.

Remember the face

that shines

at the sound of your voice.

5:

Sometimes after dressing

you change your mind

and change clothes

and then get mad

at your clothes.

I get mad

at your clothes

and then we have sex

without clothes

to get even.

6:

My breath is a blizzard

of ruffles. One-at-a-time

my breath looks good

on you,

passing through.

7:

There’s no way to tell

what one could have been,

rather than this, that

heart of it all

after all.

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