Featured Poet: Courtney Rose Kendall

the smell of death still lingers
on the tip of my tongue,
oozing from bloodylips
wafting purple, cold.
i wish i could die
before i reach my grave,
i.want.to.destroy.every.thing

I once fell asleep in the
honeyfields, alone and afraid
where you promised
(you promised!)
to take me away
salty ocean spray
burning in my eyes
my hair floating
on the ice cold water--
adrift in your oceans
of (broken)vows.
the ones we told ourselves
blanketed in velvet night,
the moon swallowing up
the hill, our bodies, our kisses
transforming words into motion
(upon the earth’s sad face)

I want to cry out to the birds
and the rocks and the fields
and the wild sun(rays)
of the fury you have spread
— wildfire in my bones—
I want to crush you, curse you, hate you
yet the corset that we tied
when i whimpered and longed for you
is unsnippable

one day i stitched
the sheets to the mattress
divided the bed right down
the middle in scarlet thread
in my emptiness, I drew
a line dividing our room
in half and stole
the segment of my soul I gave you
that night I loved you under the autumn leaves
the wind breezing through my hair
and the moonlight glowing on golden skin

I snatched a glance at the photograph you gave me
snipped you out and left you lying on the floor
a beautiful frame of that dreadful night
you poured my happy heart into your glass of wine

i am only a memory. a shadow. a grey, grey memory.




_________________________________________________________________


Featured Poet: Courtney Rose Kendall is a very dear friend of mine and the sister of my sweet Josh. Over the years it has been so wonderful having someone with whom I can exchange poetry. Her writing is very passionate, so it's no wonder she is a part of the slam poetry movement. I love her style. It always inspires me. Her imagery is always so strong and so poignant. "Corset Bound Heart(s)" is my most favorite of her poems. The mental pictures of stitching the sheets to the mattress and the unsnippable corset have been permanently printed on my mind. (Hence, my little heart doodle.)


To read more of her work, visit her facebook page and her blog.


_________________________________________________________________

Are you a poet? I'd love to feature your original work!
Submission Guidelines:
Subject matter is not limited, though profanity is discouraged.
You must be a follower of The Quirky Poet.
You may send your poems to rachelmarie@thequirkypoet.com.
All work is subject to editing if I deem it necessary.


Thanks for reading!