Progression With Sharps and Flats by David Calogero Centorbi

David Calogero Centorbi is a writer that in the 90’s earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. Now, he is writing and working in Detroit, MI.

He is the author of AFTER FALLING INTO DISARRAY (Daily Drunk Press).

Published work in Anti-Heroin Chic, The Daily Drunk,  Drunk Monkeys, Horror Sleaze Trash, Schuylkill Valley Journal-Dispatches, Tiny Molecules, and he is a regular monthly contributor at Versification. 

He can be found here on Twitter: @DavidCaCentorbi.

Blog: davidcentorbi.blogspot.com

Progression With Sharps and Flats

the candle

and spoon,

the bubble—

the still-born lie

hanging

you

breath by breath

*

sad glass

and that dead rainbow through it 

the sun cast on the wall

when I found your needle;

I thought your belt

was a snake.

you always had to have a pet.

sometimes a rodent.

sometimes a bowl fish,

but always something

for you to let die

*

The trickle of blood running down your arm:

the pinprick hole:

the black and blue stain:

the never filled:

the always needing–

your only words

I knew were true

*

you screamed

out your

detox

gibberish—

the sharp hurt that couldn’t be dulled

by everything of me

I tried to give you

*

the hours hazed

over you:

voiceless rot,

no touch, no touch,

just cracking,

and your sweat that never dried

*

you burned yourself away,

but I didn’t turn you

into the ashes

you believed you were