Black Coffee Poetry
Black Coffee Poetry Podcast
Painting an Unpretty Picture
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-14:08

Painting an Unpretty Picture

Drug addiction narratives in poetic form
Image by Camila Aguiar.

Untamable

If you don’t want to listen to my lengthy spiel, press play below for my word-for-word reading

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-1:41
Psychogenic-induced symptoms of spirits 
Within kin, without us, beneath me
By my synergistic side, slide-by-slide 
Psychonauts
Twice-exceptional lover, two of you 
Siphoned from yourself = such a shame

Grazia stares, coerced gait gatekeepers of
Polymorphic patterns tilt and incline
In dire decline
Maligned so you swallowed allure air 
And respired
Pyromania tandems rolled like aster

Astigmatic distortions double, tripling
After ever, ever after slowly?
Infinite eras of "hold me for last"
Countenanced by signature vengeance
Cirrus clouds
It's the hiss, can't you hear it?
Coteries of your invidious ilk unseen

Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssss-salient!
Figure-hugging outline kisses alacrity
Again, another, bygone begins
Cycling of sophistry anew, why did you 
Forget our peace pact?
Seems cyclonic, coating "so pristine" pelt 
With warpaint of willow and white 

Wanting you: BACK | IN | FOCUS 
Harried I hear histrionics, hurt beatings 
Unbecoming drums, do you love me?
Your hollowed reflection subtle, softened
Saddened as you never tried to change 
Caustic LASHING, a cupidity crux 

I tried to save you.

© Edward Swafford 2025


*A version of Untamable was originally published in Blue Insights.

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