Poetry
Renovations
by El Bentivegna
I want to build a life
Made of wood beams and red bricks,
Touch up my personality with a splash of gold paint.
These sorry bones are not brittle. These walls
Have been barraged by catapults and have not
Tumbled down.
Once,
I patched my roof with online purchases,
Sealed my foundation with some indulgent thing,
Tried my best to burn smoke for warmth.
I knew
This would not keep out the damp,
But it’s tough to worry about getting wet
When you’re drowning.
Being a person is work.
Work is hard
When you’re half a person.
Someday my soul will be watertight.
I will shake off the storms
Like droplets of dew.
Yellow tape gone, greased latches opened,
Light streaming in.
Construction always takes
Longer
Than they say it will.
About the Poet
El Bentivegna wants to tell you about themselves, but they worry you’ll think they’re needy. They live in Cleveland with their husband and five children (cats).
Note: This poem has also been published in #EnbyLife.
