The If in me

Painting by Tom Bagshaw





If I could learn how to be wise
as I sink my feet in my dewy garden
after Lady Moon’s wordless tears
break from my shadows and plans.

If I could rent Mother Earth’s womb
and hide myself there, knitting goofy
fantasies of taking pleasure out of my pain
when I am half woman.

If my latino sunburned brain could find
some room for a different grammar,
maybe ( who knows?) the girl from Ipanema would fall
from my ever quiet starry mouth.

If I could take a fish out of my body
or have a dozen years back, I would propose
the theory of the exotic woman:
she – the one with full breasts spilling sexy things,
purring like a cat, trading a space in body
for some cheap favours.

But I am a literary tourist
in a constant odyssey to Ithaca and Rio de Janeiro,
seeking refuge in an ode to myself.
And here ragged hearts play chess with death
as the Pope wears Prada and I use my last words
to explain my failures and atrocities.


Karla Bardanza


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Copyright©Karla Bardanza 2012

1 comment:

  1. ..."as the Pope wears Prada..."
    Loved the imagery in this. Excellent write Karla! tc

    ReplyDelete