TABATHA RUFFT: 1 POEM

AT THE PIANO


1.

Christmas:
In my mouth,
Everything.
Your resentment
Towards children
For living without you.
Candy dishes
Wrapping paper,
Come time
Unwrapping
Our own Seth Green
Blow up dolls
And cocktails
Honey,
You look fatter
Than ever,
It’s great to see you.
Waste
Of time,
Green and alive,
Clean, unfamiliar
Territory,
Full of feathers
Tweety Bird key chains.


2.

Douglas
Remember
That time
We watched porn,
Sneaking sneaks
Like kids
Snooping for
Christmas presents.
New York City,
I’d rather be. Beautiful
Images?
A minute the music stops,
Living
Under rocks,
Around trees,
Through sweater vests.
Come Alive.
Shut your eyes
And you can feel it
For miles
Around.
Around underpants
And tube socks.
I’ll take my purple
Suitcase and leave you
With your unresolved issues.
Shut your eyes,
And you can feel it:
Nobody wants to be here
Any more than you.

*****

Tabatha Rufft wants to be a giraffe when she grows up. She enjoys pasta and green tea. Currently, she is majoring in Visual Communications at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, though she still doesn't know what that really means.