an Aotearoa poetry journal | ISSN 2744-3248

All Editions

Tarot #07
Tarot #06
Tarot #05
Tarot #04
Tarot #03
Tarot #02
Tarot #01

Good

after Mary Oliver

I want to be good. To crawl on my knees
and erase every terrible thing I’ve done.

My despair is so deep it has triggered volcanoes—
can you help me? Let’s survey the carnage,
the newly formed terrain. The waterfalls burst forth,
the sun glancing off the sea.

If every inch of me is covered in scars,
That means you can’t see any one, yes?

Like the weed clings to the side of the mountain,
I have found my place, right here.
We’ll carve it out and polish it smooth.

Tell me I’m good.