Tuesday poem #384 : Jennifer Wortman : How to Hit Bottom

Dive where it says “Don’t!”

Date a basement.

Fellate debasement.

Puke asphalt.

Puke jackboot.

Ride rain with

earthworms. Gyrate

with earthworms. Fall

for an earthworm. Manage

your anger for the love

of the earthworm.

Say “I feel unseen.”
Say “Answer me. Please.”

Say “Fucker, I’ll cut you.”

Puke razor.

Puke sewer.

Roll in it, dog-

like. Claw the ground’s

skin. Open the world

wound. Tumble in

the deep black

sky. Almost

fly.

Jennifer Wortman is the author of the story collection This. This. This. Is. Love. Love. Love. (Split/Lip Press, 2019) and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. She lives with her family in Colorado, where she serves as associate fiction editor for Colorado Review and teaches at Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Find more at jenniferwortman.com.

the Tuesday poem is curated by rob mclennan