Sunday Poems

Lizzy Co (she/they)

Fresh weekly memoir-poetry. Free verse, sonnets, villanelles. All names are changed. www.thelizzycoshow.com

  1. 2D AGO

    KISS THE FEET THAT FROZE

    Inspired by Nobody’s Girl and the recent arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. KISS THE FEET THAT FROZE I had one myself: A cousin not really a cousin, A person who taught me that once a door closes It might not easily open, Not in my own time, anyway, But at some distant point on the line, I and those memories Both made their escape in the night. No one holds words in their teeth to respond to the story. It requires lines that folks wish didn’t exist, So they take time to assemble, Tumble out oddly, teetering, fumbling. Trained to be his humble helpmeet, Raised up in the glory of suffering, Good thing I contain multitudes, because There was never enough of me. What an absolute, glass-smashing disaster To rend the body of someone so small. Give me shards over hands, give me finding the fault, Give me something to keep me from punching a hole in the wall. Now, comes the part where I make the patented Lizzy Co positive twist, Take a left in the road to drop off the folks who don’t want to know, Reassure them that the world still has its mighty sunrise glow, And life contains its gifts. The souls who can stay Weren’t born that way. I bow to the people who rattled the same bars I had to, I kiss the feet that froze when they couldn’t run. I can barely behold you for blinking from brightness. Don't you understand what a lantern you've become? Your light burned away all the unlovely madness. It's not your fault you were the chosen one. Thank you so much for reading my work. See you next week. Get full access to The Lizzy Co Show at www.thelizzycoshow.com/subscribe

    2 min
  2. FEB 15

    THE NIGHT CAFE

    THE NIGHT CAFE Step inside the night cafe: It opens after dark. Baristas froth moon-lattes, And there’s lots of room to park. To pass on by the night cafe Would be a crying shame. Who wouldn’t want to be someplace Where people know your name? A special thing occurs when the stars rise. The doors to the cafe all come unlocked, But no matter how hard you squint your eyes, You won't spot the key-holder. (She’s a fox.) She’s not the only animal you’ll meet If you venture into the night cafe. This place is host to many gentle beasts: Slow-moving vegetarians...mostly. An octopus works four groupheads at once, Steaming the milk just-so as coffee pours. Here, the wait is short, and if your funds Are low, someone will spot you. (But, of course!) A lone wolf washes dishes in the back. In his case, the night cafe provides A bit of time and some space from the pack. He scours, rinses, wipes the cups bone-dry. Some strange hybrid of creature works the till, A thing all feathered, muscular, and free, Alive in the sunlight and counting bills. (That sweet, bizarre, lovely creature is me.) So won’t you come into the night cafe? The candlelight is bright enough for words. Have a seat, your drink is on the way. Your plate is brought to you by chirping birds. When you’re all done, just know you’re welcome back, Each evening, when the sun turns down its sheets. The night cafe will give you what you lack. The night cafe will meet your every need. Thank you for supporting my work. See you next week. Get full access to The Lizzy Co Show at www.thelizzycoshow.com/subscribe

    2 min
  3. FEB 1

    TEXTS BETWEEN JESUS* AND MY MOM

    TEXTS BETWEEN JESUS* AND MY MOM *pretend Jesus is whatever authority figure you want ●● Please keep my baby girl this little forever. She’s so perfect. I’ll never let anything happen to her. ● I know, she’s a real gem. My dad did a great job when he made her. Enjoy her while she’s this little, because she’ll be grown in a blink. Remember to let people help you out with her. I’m supposed to be the hero around here, not you. ● I have to do everything myself to make sure nobody messes anything up and hurts her. If I look away and something happens, I’ll never forgive myself. But, I promise I’ll do a perfect job. ● It’s not your forgiveness that matters, it’s mine, remember? And, you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be good. Please, please take a nap, drink some water, and let somebody pitch in. You’ve got good neighbors and friends around you, and a husband who actually wanted children. My mom wouldn’t want you to have as hard of a time as she did, kiddo. ● My baby used to be so sweet and now she’s cranky all the time. It seems like the better she gets at walking, the angrier she gets. She’s so disobedient that I’m scared she’ll end up in Hell if I’m not careful. I know I’m going to Heaven and the thought of not seeing my baby again in the afterlife is just not acceptable. Please tell me what to do. ● It’s all about love, remember? Well, sometimes it’s about flipping tables, but mostly it’s about love. So, just love her. When you’re cranky, there’s always a reason why, so put on your detective hat and figure out what’s got her so upset. She’s not doing it to be a pain in the ass, she’s trying to tell you something is wrong. Be the adult my father grew you to be. I’ll be watching. ● This little girl doesn’t appreciate how good her life is compared to mine. She won’t offer anything up for the souls in purgatory the way I’m supposed to teach her and I’m losing my mind. No matter how many times I spank her, she just keeps being a nasty little witch. I’m trying so hard to keep her safe from Hell so she can enter your Kingdom and she just seems to want to burn. ● I hear you, I really do. Look, I know we both had tough starts in life, but that doesn’t have to be something you have in common with your daughter. I didn’t die the way I did just so you could keep on suffering too. The wars you’ve been fighting are over and you’re just swinging at nightmares, kiddo. She doesn’t need to be scared of the world to be a good kid. ● I haven’t heard from you in a while, but she’s been talking to me quite a bit. Please don’t make me come down there again. ● If you two have such a great relationship, she’s your problem. I’m done. Lizzy’s Mom has notifications silenced ●● (If this poem moved you, please consider participating in the Minnesota relief effort. There are so many children there.) Thank you so much for reading my work. See you next week. Get full access to The Lizzy Co Show at www.thelizzycoshow.com/subscribe

    3 min

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Fresh weekly memoir-poetry. Free verse, sonnets, villanelles. All names are changed. www.thelizzycoshow.com