National Poetry Month: NEW ROMANTICS by Farid Matuk

Carry carrier the disease

is not a bad thing is forever

new romantics sing precise

of them women inside me

cherry wine Faye had butt

kids dance close without touching

fall into your comfort, grain

dance quinoa purple

pink orange yellow sun

wave up the hill and back

up dancers raise their stockinged knees

to the left describe the world

our grown heads against the glass

a herpes flowers at the corner

of our mouths’ mouth

we are beautiful, it’s gonna be a beautiful night.

To the moon full face we are turning

away Saint Sebastian displayed the moon

petrifies. I want us to put on our coyote skin

go loping snout-free

fuzz out the night, the Pacific

and go louder every tree is a channel

I want to talk in eucalyptus skins peel

line the road eucalyptus oil something something wildfire.

Great whites make love outside and salt blows back

an orange is feeding my daughter in Virginia

she reached up you said peppermint

tea fog against your ribs

against the door you hung

you’re so possible, long feet

walking a new constellation down the city

piss, run to catch up.

The fog turns away the night, let the night turn away from the moon

let the moon turn away so I can see it

I want to burrow in the hot, hot sand, I want to know everything

I want to eat your ass, to seep into our next selves

tender love, lots of babies, the sign for more.

This poem is from issue 38.1. You may purchase a copy here.