Ride And Tug Poem by Charles Malcolm

I can't force the words
to come
like you can me,
but the method is identical.

Alcohol is poured and consumed.
Eyes lock and nearly touch.
You mount me
writhe and flutter
inside of my mind
like a bird
cleaning itself in a murky puddle.
I fumble at you.
Grit my teeth
in a desperate attempt to make it last
but it never takes long
with you.
The words come.
So many spewed with such force
that they nearly ruin my notebook.

I can force the words
to come
without you,
but they never mean a damn thing
when they finally do.