Keeping It This Way by Swan Melloh
Keeping It This Way
Swan Melloh
I am not your property
I rather tell myself than you
who wears oblivion for shoes,
walks without a knowing heart.
I suppose it´s easier
to leave you there without a clue,
words unspoken in their truth,
better gone, and far apart.
Don´t you ever stop to wonder
who´s the mistress of this distance?
Call me goddess of this state,
yet, would you ever know?
We should be the ending,
not like my ancient persistence,
not of love, not out of hate,
not fading to ever grow.
This much I can answer you:
Intimacy won´t reappear.
Has it ever been of presence
while you broke my core?
Eyes will slip some knowledge,
fingertips soft, now free of fear,
claiming just my roaring essence
while denial rules no more.
More from Swan Melloh ↓
- @three.letters.poetry on Instagram and Substack
- Her poem, This is my insides, is published in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of Kailon Magazine
Mentioned in this episode:
Write After: National Poetry Month with One Poem Only
Write After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice. We'll get started in April. You can share to #WriteAfterOPO.
