DS Maolalai "Sweat on bedsheets"

I like the snow

which falls over dublin

better than that

in toronto. here, earth

stretches like roots,

confused and striking

from the soil; the grey stain

of trodden pavements

churned against white. in canada

 

it was renewed

each evening,

always laundered, always clean

and fresh; here it stays

and stiffens

to ice like sweat on bedsheets

and various other

stains. once this friend

spent the night

in my studio;

 

we were drinking -

he passed out

early on. I slept beside him,

not thinking, alcoholic, happy

and languid. woke up

cold and early, embarrassed

by the state of my snow.

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Bio:

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DS Maolalai has been nominated eight times for Best of the Net and five times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019)