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Chris Bullard
BACK STORY
The mate in spandex straps us, front and back,
to flapping canvas sail and walks us backwards
to the speedboat’s slippery stern, back
to where the blue-green sea roils in the backwash.
You shout, “This is great,” but I shout back,
“Let’s ask the captain for our money back.”
And then a windstorm lifts us. Looking back,
I see us rising, slipping off the back
from safety into sky. The one way back
is down. I yell, “Too high!” and pull you back
though you’re not scared—not here, or back
at home, where I press, sleeping, to your back,
afraid to lose you, who hold nothing back.
–from Rattle #32, Winter 2009
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June 10th, 2010 at 11:48 am
very good, an exciting read. the feelings comes through. great talent
June 15th, 2010 at 11:24 am
nice poem
January 9th, 2011 at 12:13 am
Very lovely…though intense..a difficult combination to mesh gracefully.