Five Poems by Jonathan S Baker

 

Cardigan in Bloom

 

Black is black,

straight back

Give me back

my alcohol

            baby

because           now we got bad blood

I'll arrest myself.

I'll wear the shield.

So don't think                                      it's in the past.

Heart-breakers gonna

break,

break,

break,

break,

break.

She eats glue,                                      how 'bout you?

I make the moves up as I go

What else should I be?

I was thinking that you could be trusted

High heels I've Got

 

He met me laughing

on a dirty word,

“shame”.

 

Baby I'm your “I can't”.

Let’s love way too far.

 

If the high is filled

with dangerous boys.

I'm dying to see

and I want torture.

I don't want to go down

screaming crying under the bleachers.

Friends taking turns

such a perfect thing.

shame

backdoor

dreaming

I didn't say locked

I was weak in cheer captain jeans

and he pretends inside me.

 

Smell and I Guess Trouble

 

Insane streets never know

orchids.

priceless fear comes creepin'.

Meat-eating mosquitos walk out.

Let us feel shielded.

Make the bad smother me.

I'll go forgive

your Pisces mistakes.

They still smell.

Well, whatever.

I'll experience anything.

 

Hidden

 

on the black waters

of the Fakahatchee swamp

 

in the crushing pressures

of Arctic ocean depths

 

across  sunblasted

scorched sands of the Sahara

 

removed

from presence

from gaze

 

past

the predatory tooth and claw

the inhospitable crushing depth

the thousands of desiccated miles

 

hangs the white ghost orchid

sea angels beat iridescent wings

acacia bide their time for rain

 

delicate as breath

necessary as death

objectively beautiful

 

existing not for the desires of human eyes.

not to inspire the human heart.

Beautiful but not for us

and  without us

thriving.

 

She does not know

that she is longed for

nor does she care.

 

Right. I'd like to, friend.

 

My god-queen, we’re trouble.

I'd like to wear flames

but you're drowning.

 

I still smell incredible things, stolen ex-lovers,

truth covered insecurity,

contagious troubles.

 

But my libido can't see you

when you walk.

You seem wanted more than I could show.

 

Here we end.

Grab your ex-lovers.

They'll make a pact.

Jonathan S Baker lives and works in Evansville, Indiana above the river's frown.  They are the host of Indiana's longest running and most prestigious poetry series, Poetry Speaks. Their work can be found in various online and print anthologies and collections, including Long Nights in Stoplight City (Between Shadows Press, 2023) and Cock of the Walk (Laughing Ronin Press, 2022).