TORCHED SONNET
Jealousy (that old peculiar ghost) leans
bones against the bar: mahogany,
an obtuse door from Old Hotel. She sings
her torch song; loosens robe. Tears negligee.
She moans a dirty moan: thick, filthy bathtub
ring. Her collarbone circles the room, sways
brooms and mops in ill-fit shoes. We hiccup,
One more round!
She ropes, You monsters! Say
‘Please’ — spools ribbons from our roughed-up lips,
then gestures with her nose, a sharpened spoon.
We’re cut! All praying muddy drinks, palms ripped.
She mounts the grand piano. We plead, Croon
another nightmare, Mother Mean! She leers.
He wants her more than you. Marry your fears.
Elaina M. Ellis full-time writes, teaches, and produces poetry in Seattle. She is the founder of TumbleMe Productions, a vehicle for multi-media artistic collaborations. She received a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles in 2011. Elaina’s first book, Write About an Empty Birdcage, was recently released by Write Bloody Publishing, and can be purchased here: http://writebloody.com/store/index.html.
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