The Recluse › Issue 13

Elaine Equi

CHAMOMILE TEA

Tired as always
of the harangue

‘s boomerang

whistling past an ear,

slicing the air
packed with pathological
allergens.

I’m sorry but
my sturm and drang
are dragging.

Today I wish for
nothing more,

if peace be out of reach,
than gentleness.

LIKE BANNERS, MY TEE SHIRTS HANG

Olive and navy stripes
next to coffee and cream ones.

Navy and white ones
next to mauve and tan.

Black and white
next to white and cobalt blue.

Turquoise and white
next to baby blue and orange.

Royal blue and purple
next to violet and red.

Pink and black
next to another blue and white (the longer one)

Black and green
next to green and grey.

But where have my black and grey stripes gone?

Elaine Equi

Elaine Equi’s books include Ripple Effect: New & Selected Poems, Click and Clone, and most recently, Sentences and Rain, all from Coffee House Press. She teaches at New York University and in the MFA Program at The New School.