context is important

by Christine Herzer

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lying, for example
in the context of bottles
is a symptom of the disease
in the context of a relationship
it can drive you mad

or consciousness
in the context of meditation
it leads to enlightenment
in the context of a corporation
it can get you fired

items known to provide context are
breath, a credit card, a boyfriend; our mothers

context puts items into perspective
and sometimes out of the picture

love is most convincing without context

this is when god comes in
god is to context what love is to the world

there comes a time

god will throw you out of context
you will feel as if you have been fucked
when, in fact

you have been chosen

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Christine Herzer is a poet and visual artist. She lives in India. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Fence, American Letters & Commentary, The New York Quarterly, Pinstripe Fedora, Elimae, H_NGM_N, Open Letters Monthly, Fogged Clarity, Blue & Yellow Dog, Platform Magazine [India], Upstairs at Duroc [France], Her Royal Majesty, Wood Coin and elsewhere. Her first e chapbook ‘i wanted to be pirate’ is forthcoming with H_NGM_N BOOKS.

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