Poem a Day: Angel (Broken)

April is National Poetry Month. It is also "the cruellest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain" (to steal a line from Mr. Eliot). April is one of my favorite months, full of spring weather, beautiful language, flowers, and gardening. So, in celebration of poetry month and my favorite month, I have decided to share a poem a day (starting with day 2, technically). I tried to do this last year, but I ran out of steam because I was trying to write a poem a day. This year, I am not limiting myself. I might write a poem, or I might share a poem that I have already written, or I might share a favorite poem from another poet. Just depends.

I really enjoyed blogging every day for the Slice of Life challenge, and I'd like to see if I can keep it going.  So here's to April, my favorite month, which comes like an idiot down the hill, babbling and strewing flowers!

The poem I am sharing today is one I wrote in college. My best friend and I went through terrible breakups at the same time, and we spent a lot of time sitting together being miserable. It was not really a lovely time, but we got through it, and this poem is one good thing that came out of our misery.

Angel (Broken)

"I'm alright," she says.

"You know, I just want him to be happy."

Her eyes betray her.

I am wondering what Freud would say

(nothing helpful I'm sure).

Just a shrug and change the subject

or a hug and it will be fine...

But who am I to lie--

And who is she to not admit it?

We sit together in our black shirts

Separate losses in the dawn.

Have the stars ever looked so cold?

I can feel the separation

Sad on the radio,

the green-flowered blanket between us.

The embers echo red in her hair.

Sun rises and mill water

flows through our mock Impressionist painting;

her eyes drip in van Gogh swirls.

"It will be fine," I say.

"It will be fine."