Poems

Never Offer Your Heart to Someone Who Eats Hearts

Never offer your heart to someone who eats hearts,
who finds heartmeat delicious, but not rare.
who sucks the juices drop by drop
and bloody-chinned grins like a God.

Never offer your heart to a heart gravy lover.
Your stewed, overseasoned heart consumed,
he will sop up your grief with bread
and send it shuttlingfrom side to side in his mouth
like bubblegum.

If you find yourself in love with a person who eats hearts
these things you must do:
Freeze your heart immediately
Let him -- next time he examines your chest --
find your heart cold flinty and unappetizing.

Refrain from kissing
lest he in revenge dampen the sparkin your soul.
Now, sail away to Africa
where holy women await you on the shore --
long having practiced the art of replacing hearts
with God and Song. --Alice Walker


"I like not only to be loved, but also to be told that I am loved. I am not sure that you are of the same mind. But the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave. This is the world of light and speech, and I shall take leave to tell you that you are very dear." --George Eliott