WordPerv

Ever since I talked about a Jim Carroll poem in an earlier post, I have been re-reading his collection of poetry, Void of Course. I had forgotten how much I loved his poetry – it is raw and so vivid you can almost feel the words. The last poem in this collection, simply titled Poem, is especially poignant right now. And since I’m crediting him, I don’t think I’m breaking any copyright laws… at least I hope not…

Poem     by Jim Carroll

Nobody is going to ruin me

If I have to I will ruin myself

I’ve spent too much time

Expended angelic energy

On my own disintegration to hand the contract over

To another now

As if it were

A finished painting

Needing only a signature

You are not going to get to me

You are never going to be with me

As once was

There will always be the poem

I will climb on top of it

                                    And come

In and out of time

Cocking my head to the side slightly

As I finish shaking, melting then

 Into its body, its soft skin

Is not a lie. I’m glad you are at peace,

But everything you know leads to ruins.

It’s a neat trick

My body rising above the city

Watching the boroughs recede

Into blots of pumice and amber, amethyst

It’s a harder trick

Turning love that’s lost in betrayal into something

Besides bitterness into anything beside this rage