The New Poetry Project: "After the Poison"

I’ve measured out our time together
sealed it in airtight bottles
the one labeled 1998 kept close
like smelling salts

One whiff a camphor waking me
making me high on the idea of us
putting blinders on your infidelities
double vodkas and damaging words

And when that isn’t enough
I open a vein and plunge in
mainlining good memories
to blot out your monstrosity

I eke you out in little doses
slipstreaming to before the bad
when your hand resting
on the small of my back was enough

It’s the way I keep from overdosing
the way I keep you human


This poem is the sixth of eight new works that will appear at Modern Confessional and across social media until the end of the year. Read the other poems: The Masquerade, Acid Flashback #2,  Things to do in Denver when you'd rather be dead, 1989 and Songlines. Find out more about the New Poetry Project at this link. ©Collin Kelley, 2016