walking around inside myself

hallways lead to queen movie sets

(memory never has a garage sale)

reminders of you like fishy wine labels

and grubby gym membership cards

nothing useful like spa vouchers or a hand to hold

reminded to stop imagining punching your face in

a room for revenge exists anywhere

pain and disappointment set up entire houses

awakening packed with splintered wood

and traffic jams – but I ease along in my leather jumpsuit

since banishing you I joined a fire-eater gang

we gulp down bitter hot words – easy as a slap

appetite satisfied – playing whatever I wish

fast cars and motorbikes built in my secret cave

any time I weep into engines they hiss

whip about like snakes and angry waitresses

we speed and aim beautifully

for the heart of what matters to live there

Raewyn Alexander is an international, fourth generation Aotearoa New Zealand writer of many genres, and a visual artist. She resides in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland. Also, she works editing, ghost-writing, book designing, writes Poetry While You Wait (illustrated if you wish), and is a performer. Google has more.

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