The Wheel - Laura Stevenson

Starts of dreams, I’m able to breathe underwater

Someone’s daughter’s sugar, southern-weather voice

With Lucky Strikes, she tries to cover the smell

Cover the noises of his mouth

Blur out the planes of his face

Cover the noises he makes

There’s a man and I hate him plainly

Nothing fancy in how glad I watched them bury him

But ever since then, I can feel him all around me

Clawing like a crowd

Like the weather sucks me in and spits me out

Understand I am only as he made me

A faithful servant to all of the noise

All of the lights

All the flashing in my head

The sound of his mouth, loud as a crowd

And you’re lucky that you’re dead

Because clemency is tugging me

But I’m sorry that she’s weak

Because I won’t be merciful

Like what got you first in your throat

I will be real, real slow

Just like a wheel, turn over

I’m like a wheel

I’m like a wheel

I’ll be real, I’ll be real

I’ll turn over like a wheel