Emily as Measureless
Darren Demaree
I know how
many hand-
lengths she is.
I do not know
how to stop
measuring.
Emily as Good Storm
She was never a goddamn peach,
but she was a wind that brought
me tremendous fruit, which I have
picked up every day since she tore
me away from the real destruction
of my rattling dash. I was soaked
in cheap bourbon, I wore it
as a shirt, used my ink as introduction
& when she removed the hands
from my shoulders she never wavered
from her push, she never stopped
offering to bury me in the wreckage.
Emily as an Armful of Flowers
I would prefer less beauty
between myself
& the light noise
of a stem rubbing
on your blouse. Ground
against the delight
of your roses, my chest
would stain your chest
with my intention
to limit the air between us.
DARREN C. DEMAREE is living in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and children. He is the author of “As We Refer to Our Bodies” (2013, 8th House), “Temporary Champions” (2014, Main Street Rag), and “Not For Art Nor Prayer” (2015, 8th House). He is the recipient of three Pushcart Prize nominations and a Best of the Net nomination.