Wanda Coleman


Book Cover Image of Mercurochrome by Wanda ColemanAmerican Sonnet (35)

boooooooo. spooky ripplings of icy waves. this 
umpteenth time she returns--this invisible woman 
long on haunting short on ectoplasm


"you're a good man, sistuh," a lover sighed solongago. 
"keep your oil slick and your motor running."


wretched stained mirrors within mirrors of 
fractured webbings like nests of manic spiders 
reflect her ruined mien (rue wiggles remorse 
squiggles woe jiggles bestride her). oozy Manes spill 
out yonder spooling in night's lofty hour exudes 
her gloom and spew in rankling odor of heady dour


as she strives to retrieve flesh to cloak her bones 
again to thrive to keep her poisoned id alive


usta be young usta be gifted--still black 


John Ashbery

  The New Spirit (excerpt) I thought that if I could put it all down, that would be one way. And next the thought came to me that to leave a...