(un)ambiguous, By Grace Maidment

I




let’s say:     you are walking     you are walking     & you see exactly where the sidewalk stops
& this is perfect     you know exactly where one feeling end     s & ano



                                                                                                                                       ther begins




let’s say:     you are about to wake up     or you are about to be put under     forgive me
the lines are blurred     sometimes     you know there was a ring on your right hand
but now it’s on your left     & you can’t remember turning thirty-two




let’s say:     you     you, an ocean     you, a boat     you, a fishnet     you, a comma,




you, the ocean & the boat & the fishnet & the comma     what comes next?




let’s say:     someone’s on their knees     someone’s on their knees proposing     or pleading
or perhaps picking at a raised bit of floorboard     this person is you     or someone else

or you again     someone’s on their knees     asking for something they don’t want
just so everyone will take their hands off of their eyes




II




never mind:     walk into a bar     ask for a vodka cran     ask for a song     take a number     take a tongue
follow someone out & sleep with them     sorry, who was that?     sorry, what was that?
don’t look at me     this is what you wanted




never mind:     throw a hand grenade     get them in your car     & forget to brake     speed forward
open your mouth     & reveal something twisted & ugly     keep speaking     do i know you?




almost




III




almost     this time     poor thing




you are running     sidewalk     sidewalk          the end.     that’s not your fault     is it?




you, a hand     you, a body     you, smoke     comma, comma,




comma
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