MARC CARVER - POEMS

​I am lucky enough to be able to write and in a way that I truly enjoy and hope that other people get something from it.
After all a writer has to write.

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                                                Suddenly
 
 
As I walked into the supermarket
A woman bent down in front of me.
She started to pick something up from the floor
 
I looked down,
there was a round flattened chewing gum down there.
I watched as she
thinking it was money
tried to get her nails right underneath it.
 
I walked off shaking my head and laughing.
She followed me in
realizing her mistake.
And suddenly
I knew why I had left the house
 
 
                                           
                                          Coffee House Feedback
 

I look at the girl's reflection in the sheet glass window.
Another woman looks at me.
I see her
but still she looks, I am not that different am I?
The woman shouts some exotic coffee to go but it doesn't matter because everything is in a 'to go' cup today.
The Anglo Indian man told me the dishwasher was broken I asked him if it was him, he looked sheepish.
I can't decide whether to tell the girl who made me my coffee that it was good
because she told me she didn't get much feedback.
The woman who looked at me before looked at me again as she walked down the road.
 
 
It is quiet now but still I don't want to go but I know I must and I know I have to tell her how good that coffee was.
As I tell her an old boy says
"Horrible the coffee in here is horrible."
"Mine was alright." I tell him.
As I walk out he walks out with me with his coffee.
He has spilt something on his jacket but not recently
"Horrible." He says.
"Well it will sober you up." I say
"It will be Christmas soon." He says.
It is January.
 



                                                    Tent


I bought a tent a while back
when I bought it
I was fairly sure that was where I was going to end up
Living in some field
in my tent.
But time still rolls on
and still I have a roof over my head
and wine on the table and food in the fridge.
Someone is looking after me
so all I have to do is
write.
 
 
 
                                           Blind Date
 

I met her through some dating ad
I turned up at her house,
she shared it with two other women.
They started to make fun of her as soon as I turned up.
"Got yourself a man, well done."
And they started to laugh.
 
I took her to the pub
and we started to talk for a bit.
She was very nervous and kept talking and laughing.
She said she would go to the bar for some drinks.
 
There were a couple of stairs on the way down to the bar.
As she went down them her legs gave way and she landed on the floor.
A man came over and picked her up
he took a look at me
just as I was getting up and heading out the door.
I hope they made a nice couple.
 
 
                                            Angelou
 
 
Put two hands under my armpits and lift me
and still I fall.
Raise me above crowds
pass me along
twist me around
and still I fall.
Baptise me in holy waters from a sacred river and still I fall.
Trumpet my name with adoration and still
still I fall.
Worship me and still
still I fall.
Be my friend the most loyal friend anybody could have
and once again
I fall.
Pamper me
look after me
make me lazy
and still yes
still I fall.
 
Betray me.
Mock me.
Piss all over my body.
Shout, spit at me.
Hate me.
Torture me.
Laugh at me.
Cut me, pull my limbs from my body.
Nail me to a cross.
Let ravens peck out my eyes and liver.
And I will rise.
I will
rise
I
Will
Rise.
​