poetry

Two Poems by Allison Becker

you are a multiverse
 

you are Persian which means you 
are beautiful you described 
a universe in which each point
is its own universe and it made
me cry for being so beautiful
my points are just points
sharp and always poking 
each other you have so much 
hair it gathers in the lowest point
of my bed my body is a container 
you try to explain abstract 
concepts i try to study the geometry 
of your curls i sit cross legged 
my toes pointed at me as if 
to say i’m with stupid

 

 

 

 

murmuration
 

i keep picking things up and putting them 
down oh windowsill oh spice rack im in love
with the strange noise the refrigerator is making
i wear a large sweater and apply lotion and see
myself through yourself watching myself 
     roll tights
over my thighs on the train in my head also
you are rolling yourself over me you are not
like others with their plastic bags
made of other plastic bags you make 
     flowers 
out of milk my steam into foam
you bookmark books
with other books you make whiskey 
     disappear
in that mouth that says i just 
want to be honest you make me want 
to hold a fish in my hands 
my dream in fun shirts you dream 
in uncoordinated colors i dream 
    you are a fish on a bed of starry ice my super
    market treasure my insane saturday new york 
    avenue hand in the crowd my confusing cafe 
    companion do we order at the counter? you are 
           the only one 
making sense at this dumb party 
           the strangest
of non-strangers there is so much to discover 
like have you seen my tiny bird 
collection? and what i did think
of your chili i just want to be honest
and i want you when the day comes 
after the quiz the deadline the coffee shop
     shift
when we can eat a complicated breakfast 
together on a Sunday afternoon and
and watch clouds disappear 
     from the tap water 
and into starlings

 

Allison Becker lives in Brooklyn, works at Housing Works and a coffee shop, and seriously loves poodles.