TWO POEMS

BIG SWALLOW
& COME

^{Sarah Jean ALEXANDER}

^{EXCERPTS FROM

A BOOK CALLED}

^{WE DIE IN ITALY}

BIG SWALLOW

I cannot forget and I cannot forget
winter deepens in me
shake my hand with my hand
I’ll have a ... glass of sour wine

pack my mouth with table salt
hills roll, moons set
I want nothin
for nothin in return

as tall as I’ll ever be
and all parts of this body dissolving
earth opens, big swallow
just tired enough for a sweater

feed me bitch! I love you
red with contentment
mouth like an oyster
neck like lemonade

COME

there are people alive in this world
who have never looked me in the eyes
and told me what I mean to them

I don’t mean to be controversial but

I discovered some new muscles
around the sides of my ass

my body is just strong enough
to feel neutral about it

if salt were a person
I would let them ruin my life

_{Sarah Jean ALEXANDER is the author of the poetry collection WE DIE IN ITALY (Shabby Doll House, 2021) and WILDLIVES (Big Lucks Books, 2015; 2nd ed. 2018). She lives in New York City and tweets at @skinwasher.

For more information on WE DIE IN ITALY, and to order a copy direct form the publisher, see here.

IMAGE—

Anna MAGNANI, Circeo con cane, La Sole

© Paolo di PAOLO}

TWO POEMS

BIG SWALLOW & COME

Sarah Jean ALEXANDER

EXCERPTS FROM A BOOK CALLED

WE DIE IN ITALY

BIG SWALLOW

COME

BIG SWALLOW
& COME

^{Sarah Jean ALEXANDER}

^{EXCERPTS FROM

A BOOK CALLED}

^{WE DIE IN ITALY}