Siobhan Potter reading her own work

Transcript

…I inhabit mucus and pus

   so that when I laugh, I mean it 

I inhabit the wretchedness of birth in order to love the parasite, until it is self supporting

I inhabit memory to not forget and to not do it again

I inhabit hate and mistrust, so that you can experience it

I inhabit lust and eat from it

I inhabit love, for you to have your heart broken and thrive 

I inhabit exactitude because knives need to be kept sharp

I inhabit sloth and the mammal in me rests

I inhabit animus, that is the primary relationship

I inhabit light completely, so that all that is seen is its darkness

depending on your perspective—so move

I inhabit shame when I tire of my right size

I inhabit silence to hear my self

I inhabit god

I inhabit wolf, and lone-ness

It’s as lonely as herd-ness 

I method write, inhabiting a poem

‘til it’s had its way, then move on

I move on

I inhabit words until I know what they are saying and 

can hear what you are not saying

I drink happiness by the neck until drunk, then drink more

I sneak out when it’s sleeping 

I can come back— if I leave

I’ll inhabit shit for you when you won’t  

I will digest it and give it back, in edible form

I inhabit good enough

I inhabit Mother…