Eve Merriam

How To Eat A Poem

Don’t be polite.Bite in.Pick it up with your fingers and lick the juice thatmay run down your chin.It is ready and ripe now, whenever you are.You do not need a knife or fork or spoonor plate or napkin or tablecloth.For there is no coreor stemor rindor pitor seedor skinto throw away.

Purple,

TwilightSky light.Purple as a king’s capePurple as a grape.Purple for the eveningWhen daylight is leaving.Soft and purry,Gentle and furry,Velvet evening-time.Purple,Purple.Sky lightGoodbye light.DuskyMuskyInto night.

Once upon a time

I set it on the floorbut it ran right out the doorI chased it on my bicyclebut it melted to an icicleI scooped it up in my hatbut it turned into a catI caught it by the tailbut it stretched into a whaleI followed it in a boatbut it changed into a goatWhen I fed…