Without Saints

—

by

Sarah
A surreal, mixed-media painting depicting a woman in profile with vibrant red hair adorned with an elaborate crown of flowers, leaves, and antlers. Her face is softly lit, with delicate features and a contemplative expression. Behind her, a dreamlike urban scene rises—layered fire escapes, brick walls, and dripping paint textures blending into abstract shapes. Ethereal smoke or spirit-like wisps drift upward from the lower left, merging with the grungy cityscape. Rich tones of teal, rust, gold, and copper create a contrast between nature and industry, giving the artwork a mystical, otherworldly atmosphere.

seeking jazz or sex or soup*
alone, my lover gone
submerged—again
a game of solitaire,
that primal flight on repeat

instead of arrival—
a match
struck but not aflame
we two—once one
complete sentence
now fragmented, an ellipsis . . .
where once a period.

him—molting,
shedding what’s webbed
translucent, peeling
what’s worn, revealing
what’s raw beneath
hidden in the folds
of shadows

seeking jazz or sex or soup
this burn barrel
smoke absorbing light
lungs in collapse––gasping
the intense sting
tears staining these raw cheeks

love abandoned
in a damp, dusty kitchen
bones tossed in
seasoning, flavoring futility
memories wax sealed
offering only few gasps of air

seeking jazz or sex or soup
breath glides through veins
warm rivers flood canyons
rain nourishes feral blooms
wild florae growing
on organs, hips, and lips

a rebirth breaks loose
wild regeneration
from sorrow, a rebirth
limbs like a spotted fawn
unravel, a shuffled footstep—tentative
but carrying rhythm

on the ground
bare soles soothed
by cool cement, wet
and freshly poured
over a city without saints

Dedicated to Russell B.