She had a fondness
for biting her nails
down to the cuticle
she was a nervous wreck
all doped to infinity
by her doctor
who never thought it
uncouth to pill her to the gill
But she made the most wonderful
charcoal drawings
and a fine lasagna too
Though she used to have me
sit for hours
while she would sketch me
in whatever position I happened
to have the error of being in
All the while her fingers would
be whittled
as she poured over page after
page
throwing each one down to the
floor
once they were done
little spittles of blood from her
ragged fingers
cling to each picture
She up and left one day
it was early in the morn
the sun was bleeding through
the bent venetian blinds
and I half asleep watched
her get naked from the bed
and dress
with little golden bars on her
flesh
I thought she was going to
the corner store to fill her
appetite for slim Jims and salt water taffy
but she never came back again
and from time to time
I open the drawer her drawings are in
and wonder what she is drawing these
days
(c) Erik Lauritzen 2003
for biting her nails
down to the cuticle
she was a nervous wreck
all doped to infinity
by her doctor
who never thought it
uncouth to pill her to the gill
But she made the most wonderful
charcoal drawings
and a fine lasagna too
Though she used to have me
sit for hours
while she would sketch me
in whatever position I happened
to have the error of being in
All the while her fingers would
be whittled
as she poured over page after
page
throwing each one down to the
floor
once they were done
little spittles of blood from her
ragged fingers
cling to each picture
She up and left one day
it was early in the morn
the sun was bleeding through
the bent venetian blinds
and I half asleep watched
her get naked from the bed
and dress
with little golden bars on her
flesh
I thought she was going to
the corner store to fill her
appetite for slim Jims and salt water taffy
but she never came back again
and from time to time
I open the drawer her drawings are in
and wonder what she is drawing these
days
(c) Erik Lauritzen 2003

