Elise Rothenhoefer
Pothos’ Jazz: Somatics & Timpani
She lends her body to a song.
& everybody that puts her in their mouths
breaks into pixels of bloomings
and carbon, little mimosas sprout
off their skins & they sweat mercury
I tell her, I can morph this into a poem
unbreakable, strong enough to hold
a form, or two
First. find a heart, fit and mahogany
enough to be a dancefloor. step into
mine & bind your soul to a genre
of your elemental responsiveness
then a rain —as I answer my mother’s lineage
of rainmaker —drums on your caramel skin
till we pick rhythm with the mermaid glee.
you, in that moment, the spine of seas.
I, in that moment, the pirate of storms.
then an immersion in a body of achiotes
a token of anchorage, calli of desires.
we could use my lips.
and if your fire does not touch my tongue
and I do not catch your craze
I will spell the words
and it would look like love
But this is what we would be; a new song
a fusion, you fold my chaos
and I body you with the recklessness
you desire.
Simbo, Olumide Manuel’s work has been featured in or forthcoming from Frontier Poetry, Club Plum Literary Journal, Sublunary Review, Grand Little Things and Twyckenham Notes. He spends his spare time listening to music, reading, and clipping memories in their imperfect haze with fantasies. Twitter @Olu_midemanuel.
Elise Rothenhoefer is a visual artist, writer, animal lover, and social justice advocate. She manages a graphic design business, Magic Bean Designs. Elise lives in the wilds of Southern Florida with her husband, 3 children, 4 cats, 3 hermit crabs, 2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, 1 pig and 1 tortoise.