Ordinary Utensil

By Hassan A. Usman
For Leo

Into March,       I follow my misfortune.    I am catastrophic—
a standout among the recipes for a sad poem.
I annihilate        the        carnation flowers sprouting
inside of me,        what I let grow        are a raven’s eggs,
darkness,              & an open wound.
I swear I’m not possessed— I              like to think of
the knife as a good friend,              unlike a ray of light,
you say:              you sharp creature,        cut into the skin,
into the coursing blood,        & it obeys.
Whatever gives me loyalty,        gives me joy. But
would you ever believe        if I told you that the bliss I pursue
is              an ordinary          utensil?
Again,        I remember Leo.        I have seen him in different places
including graveyards,        the        point of intersection
between us               is               loneliness;
the wind                                     took my cat
from the proximity to his cage,        from my gaze—
ours is
a poem        about        destruction.

BIO:
Hassan A. Usman, NGP II, is a black (performance) poet and a lover of cats. Hassan enjoys cooking, listening to Nigerian street music, and juggles writing with modeling. He tweets @billio_speaks