Warm White Noise

Tonight marks a new love story. I shake
her hand gently. Her voice is smart, inviting
and each time she looks over at me I put on
a nervous fucking smile and burn through her
calico frames, want to watch her eyes forever

She writes fiction, was born in Massachusetts
I know nothing of Massachusetts. Been to Boston
once, Salem once, but not enough to hold
any sort of conversation. I ask if she likes Pittsburgh
She does. She asks where I’m from, I tell her

then tell her I moved most recently from
New Mexico. She smiles. She was in Utah
earlier in the year – “same as you, just living.”
I love that. I want to say more, keep her talking
I don’t know how so I let her go, catch up

with friends. I want to buy her a drink. I want
to buy myself three. I want to nudge her knees
with mine. I want to hug her at her door beneath
a porch light with a promise, and the warm white noise
of moths buzzing, zapping in sync with batting lashes


Alyse.RichmondAlyse Richmond currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA, and is in the process of earning an MFA in Creative Writing from Chatham University. Her poems have appeared in various literary journals throughout the country, such as: Helix Magazine, The Found Poetry Review, Welter, Malpais Review, and The Lincoln Underground, among others.

 


 

 

I Couldn’t Provide

With hands full
of hereditary tremors
I take another slug
from the handle, and soon
forget the hours, redundant
loud and blue

now I finally feel like
throwing my favorite under-
wear into the trash and stop
shaving my legs for good

because

on weeknights we’ll start
to split up books, movies
drink wine from a box, avoid
ticket stubs and road maps
from long drives

and

I never really knew
what you expected of me
but I couldn’t provide.


Alyse.Richmond

Alyse Richmond currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA, and is in the process of earning an MFA in Creative Writing from Chatham University. Her poems have appeared in various literary journals throughout the country, such as: Helix Magazine, The Found Poetry Review, Welter, Malpais Review, and The Lincoln Underground, among others.