17 february 1999/ 1 adar 5759
.
that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my vietnam
.
to let myself start crying
i never could’ve calmed
.
that’s my knight in armour
that’s my wall of stone
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to keep myself from dying
i wrote 200 poems
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that’s my purple heart
that’s my beauty shattered
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torn and bruised inside
as if it hadn’t mattered
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mesapotameia
the land between two suns
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mesopotameia
your soul lies underground
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mesapotameia/ toward which abr’am runs
towards which i am bound
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that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my artist’s start
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to keep myself from lying
i wrote straight from the heart
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my knight’s own white amour
that’s my broken staff
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to keep myself from dying
i wrote her epitaph
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that’s my purple heart
that’s my boon returned
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that’s me looking at the fire
as if it hadn’t burned
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mesapotameia
a water midst the land
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mesapotameia
my life lies in your hands
.
mesapotameia/ through which i have passed
through which i am blessed
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the stream as it trickles
as the waves tickle the shore
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your love is never fickle
like the ones i’ve known before
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the river as it rushes
as the sand between your toes
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your love still giggles~gushes
hold me gentle in its throes
.
mesapotameia/ you left your cherry lips
in the front seat of my car
.
mesapotameia/ grounded to your very hips
i couldn’t go too far
.
the fountain as it’s falling
as the waves creep to the beach
.
your love is never stalling
like the love that’s out of reach
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the lake’s sad introspection
in the shadow of your sighs
.
love blinds its own reflection
guide me gentle through the lies
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mesapotameia/ i’ve had this all before
i’ve had this all my life
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mesapotameia/ enslaved to the village whore
i’m in love with the devil’s wife
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that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my vietnam
.
i let myself start crying
i never did come home
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my night in dark armour
my black wall of glass
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to keep me from dying
i smoked on some grass
.
that’s my purple heart
that’s my art expressing
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that’s my winning number
as if it wasn’t guessing
.
mesapotameia/ you left your very essence
in the iris of my eye
.
mesapotameia/ leaning toward your luminescence
i couldn’t pass you by
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the fountain as its spewing
as the sea foams on the sand
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your love is now renewing
like a love grown on command
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the lake’s mad oval mis~direction
as the drunken vulture flies
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my soul arise with a squirmy full erection
in the shadow of her thighs
.
i’ll say this once again
i’ve said this all my life
.
in love with a silent friend
i’m in love with my neighbor’s wife
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that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my vietnam
.
i let myself start crying
as if i hadn’t grown
.
i let myself love someone
as if i weren’t the best
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and still my knight in armour
rode strong inside my breast
.
that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my vietnam
.
that’s the verdant eden
my sin put guilt upon
.
that’s my purple heart
that’s my art un~bruising
.
that’s my winning number
as if it wasn’t losing
.
that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my vietnam
.
i let myself start dying
from all the pain i’ve known
.
that’s my fertile crescent
that’s my holy ground
.
that’s the way i like it
a paradise i’ve found
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that’s my purple passion
that’s my juicy grape
.
a certain satisfaction
talking to an ape!
Martha Kelch Poetry 