the sweetest of these elements is fire
Erica Woiwode is finishing her Master's thesis in creative writing (original poetry) at California State University, San Marcos. She is a writing and music teacher. Her poetry has been published in Academic Exchange Extra for four consecutive months, L.A. Miscellany (Los Angeles), The Poetry Conspiracy (San Diego) and the Cal State San Marcos Pride Literary Supplement.
By Erica Woiwode
one night i dreamed about you,
all twisted up in fear,
with shackled hands and the
faintest smell of desertion
the voice on the other end
of the line muted
to a dull rhythm
please
please
please
please ...
as the angry consonants of
screaming phrases shifted
the fragments of what
i kept trying to say
diminishing what was once
a scathing monologue
now one monumental bruise
and i sat there,
quietly watching you
break up my insides,
and throw down my courage
you, who in my dark dreams come to linger and destroy
i hurt through the plainest everything,
and wait for the morning to bring change,
feeling the heaviness of you
in the shuddering quiet moments
as our last conversation
becomes the faded night.
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