After Edgar Allen Poe
Trigger Warning: depression, suicidal ideation
tell me everything
horrible you did
when
you
learned to survive
without anyone
when silence rushes
storm tide
and you succumb
wild becomes you
when
swallowing pain
avoid others having to imbibe
people have their Octobers
can’t fault them
doing their best to kill
the window stands open
all you have to do
is jump or
allow me to see star dust
at your center
I’ll light candles
make the chants
come on you pretty bastard
you cast your spells
I’ll clear the damage
because I know when
a villain is not a villain
is when you love them
Michelle Hartman is the author of four poetry books, four chapbooks, the most recent a winner of the John and Miriam Morris Memorial Chapbook Contest. Her work has appeared in Crannog, Galway Review, The Atlanta Review, Penumbra, Poem, Southwestern American Review, Carve and many more. She is the former editor of Red River Review, as well as the owner ofHungry Buzzard Press.