Welcome to Poetic Licence – a weekly poetry forum, hosted by us, featuring words by local poets. This week? A return to our pages by Catrina McCrae.
9 ta 5
and it turns out that we had “it” backward all along
the streets that had spoke to me
zipped up their cracks and
my cement footprints were sanded down.
the humid air melted my toes and
my toenails peeled back -
like warm stickers
the familiar feeling of lacking,
unbearable inside a pulsating city
that moves and it moves
but I’m stuck in a line of slugs in suits
on their afternoon slimes.
Eyes glazed over with briefcase bullshit and
their shoulders collide with my head
scrambling eggs in my thoughts
I suppose I should buy some ketchup.
Well I’ve got my cup out and
I’m begging for change but
my change comes in a bad haircut and
a ten dollar watch, and
time is clucking at me.
I’m stacking up on coffee cups and
empty bottles of hard beer and
wasted flirtations with strangers who
ask my name twice
Our reservations and dedications
to simple conveniences
taking priority
This is the second poem by Catrina McCrae (@CatrinaMcCrae) to be featured in Poetic Licence. See her previous work at westender.com.
To submit your own poetry to Poetic Licence, email [email protected] with Poetry Column in the subject line. Include your poem, full name, contact details and bio. Only those selected for the column will be contacted.
