2 poems by erin sullivan

I LOVE THE BEACH

stealing words, blood life
what use is importance
to the heart and the
machine oil-analogue
digitized dissent failure
losing consistency
like the ocean
sand drying in the sun
heated time dust
once alive, like us
were once alive
like sand, silica and shells
we stole them like words
from the beach, our trophy love
reminders, we visit now
no shells but sand
we steal it too, the beach
of our hearts we murder love
the beach lingers, eaten
by time, our salt water blood
​digitizes the beach, our memory

I LOVE THE SEA

the salt water’s cold but the sea is so warm with the sun overhead burning a hole in the clouds you can feel the wind in your hands the taste of sand in your eyes it’s okay if it stings you can handle it now walk into the salt don’t bother with breath the jellyfish may sting but only because he loves you he says he’s the only one here he’s the only one that cares about you he says the others all left driven away the jellyfish says it’s your fault he says but he forgives you the jellyfish says he loves you still and he’s sorry if it hurts the sting on your chest the lash on your arm that’s the way we are here in the salt and after all he says he’s all you’ve got

✱✱✱

Erin Sullivan is a trans woman from southern NJ. Likes the water best at a distance. Online at http://erintoknow.tumblr.com.