Languages – ECW Poetry

Monday

In the adolescence of exam week; no tests for days.
Shopping for horror films in the library with a borrowed card.
And for what? So I can sit here and pretend we all
didn’t just fail that Spanish exam… maybe it was
only me…

Muttering puttering stuttering, hiccups on paper
would look like hesitant curls of thrice erased answers, wisps
of changing enlightenment. We forgive hiccups, but ignorance
well, that’s why we learn tongues, to keep open minded, open mouthed.

I can sit here and watch over and over, dramatic irony gore glory
something gritty in a horror film with subtitles, pretending
I can hear their worry, would choose the right door, would run fast enough,

But the hiccups would come again, decisions made sloppy with indecision,
speed compromised with second guessing, drawing attention to
the alien notion of an uncomfortable situation.

Maybe that’s the point: a borrowed language, a borrowed cinema,
A borrowed plot line to see to the end… I suppose I’ll see you there.

—ECW

Poem 72 Edited – Poem 72 Original

a little bitter i’m still taking tests to prove my knowledge; bitter still i might not ace them.

Monday

In the adolescence of exam week; no tests for days.
Shopping for horror films on a borrowed Netflix
and for what; so I can sit here and pretend we all
didn’t just fail that Spanish exam. maybe it was
only me…

muttering puttering stuttering. hiccups on paper
would look like the innocent curls of a thrice erased answer
wisps of changing enlightenment. We forgive hiccups, but ignorance,
well, that’s why we take languages now isn’t it. I can sit

here and pretend I didn’t pick fights about it all summer
and assure myself it’ll be a beauty mark of a grade. We
can lie through the cavities in our caffeine colored teeth
about how poorly our GPA will look come Friday;

but maybe that’s the point: a borrowed language, a borrowed
account, a borrowed plot line to see till the end; I suppose I’ll see you there.
–ECW

Poem 72 Revised – Poem 72 Edited