1 poem
by Julianne Neely
Julianne Neely received her MFA degree from the Iowa Writer's Workshop, where she received the Truman Capote Fellowship, the 2017 John Logan Poetry Prize, and a Schupes Fellowship for Poetry. She is currently a Poetics PhD candidate and an English Department Fellow at the University at Buffalo. Her writing has been published in Hyperallergic, VIDA, The Rumpus, The Iowa Review, and more.
King Lear (Redacted and Reconstructed)
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to acknowledge i
ROUND-WOMBED
her bed my bed
I MUST LOVE YOU
i am made of that self
MY TRUE HEART
of love i am alone
I’M HIGH
poor my tongue speak
UNHAPPY I LOVE OBEY
love honor husbands
I SHALL WED I SHALL NEVER
marry my generation
STIRS LET IT FALL
power state empty-hearted hollow
KILL DISEASE OUR NATURE HATED BACK
words of love all old
I’M HIGH AND NOTHING MORE
take wealth
COMMIT OFFENSE
faith in glib art not i
SPEAK VICIOUS UNCHASTE
lady give me love
WIFE DESPISED OBEDIENCE WANTED
shame prosper i have poor judgement
RASH IMPERFECTIONS UNRULY WAYWARDNESS
curiosity my mind dull stale tired
I KNOW NO NEWS NOTHING
terrible nothing i blame policy
I HUM CONSPIRACY SLEEP
to write this i dare danger
I PLACE THIS EVENING SO TENDERLY INTO FRAME
love cools friendship falls off in cities
IN COUNTRIES THE BOND CRACKED
bias of our time
WE ARE SICK I AM THINKING
of serious contemplation
THE EFFECTS OF DEATH NEEDLESS
how long have you gone
HOURS WHEREIN YOU FEAR PRAY
i have told you what i have seen and heard
HORROR I HEAR BY DAY AND NIGHT
im high
EVERY HOUR FLASHES
i will not speak i am sick
MIND IDLE I’LL WRITE
prepare for dinner get it ready
NOW WHAT
i eat fish poor
HIGHNESS
but where’s my days
AWAY
can you make no use of nothing
NOTHING CAN BE MADE OF NOTHING
the rent a monopoly
I CAN GIVE AN EGG MEAT TWO CROWNS
i speak like this for men
I LIE LYING PRETTY NO FROWNING
i hold my tongue weary
A SHELLED FOOL HA
infected with age and devils
DEGENERATE I
fruitful womb create child
IT MAY LIVE THANKLESS
i am ashamed these hot tears
SOME COMPANY A WOMAN’S MILKY GENTLENESS
i want anything
I WILL NOT SLEEP TILL I HAVE DANGER
a house laughs at my place
PARDON ME MUMBLING
my body alarmed roused
MY HEART IS CRACKED
o lady lady ill
AFFECTED DEATH WASTE OF REVENUES
at my house i’ll be there
WHINING IS IT NIGHT
self-subdued
I SERVE EMPLOYMENT
sit till noon till night all night
SELFSAME ILL SO SLIGHTLY
legs whose disposition have traveled hard
I SLEEP REST
ill under this globe
I FIND TIME
from this state my face grime with filth
MY LOINS MY HAIRS IN KNOTS
nakedness mortified arms
THERE’S SOMETHING YET NOTHING
am from home
NO PURPOSE I SAY YEA HALF BREATHLESS
displayed highness
WINTER’S NOT GONE YET WILD GEESE FLY
o how this swells up my heart
IT BEGINS TO RAIN
in the storm they are sick
IMAGES OF REVOLT FLYING OFF
unremovable and fixed in plague
NOT WELL NEGLECT OUR HEALTH OURSELVES
to suffer with the body
INDISPOSED AND SICKLY FIT MY STATE
my rising heart cried
I AM GLAD TO BE HIGH
i fail obligation
ON THE VERY VERGE OF CONFINE
ruled and led by that state
THIS BECOMES THE HOUSE
ingrateful young bones infect
I HAVE GOOD HOPE
being weak till the expiration of month
I AM HOME
i abjure all roofs
I CAN BE PATIENT
in one house i look wicked
IN A HOUSE THOU ART A LADY
give me that patience i need
TOUCH ME I’LL WEEP
this house is little
HIGH RAGE
shut your doors
WHO’S THERE BESIDES FOUL WEATHER
in a dry house weak
I WILL BE THE PATTERN OF ALL PATIENCE
i marry a fool and cry
MY WITS BEGIN TO TURN
i am cold
I AM ILL AND GONE TO BED
come not in here
ALL THE PLAGUES IN THE AIR
come in all
YOUR COMPANY KEEP THEE WARM
no words no words
HERE IS BETTER THAN THE OPEN AIR
come sit
SHE MUST NOT COME OVER
the haunts in the voice of a nightingale
I HAVE NO FOOD
make no noise draw the curtains
GO TO SUPPER IN THE MORNING
i’ll go to bed at noon
WHO’S THERE
my friends you are my guests
I AM YOUR HOST
i’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs
PLAGUE BEGONE
a woman’s services are due
HUMANITY PREY ON ITSELF LIKE MONSTERS
the news is tart
I’LL READ THE WICKEDNESS
i live in the state
GUESTS PARTED AS PEARLS FROM DIAMONDS
casualties sting so venomously
I GO ABOUT MY MOURNING
to live I think is gone
NIGHTED LIFE THE WAYS ARE DANGEROUS
let go my hand
TO CURE IT WHEN LIFE ITSELF HASNT BEEN GOSSAMER
breathe a miracle
THIS IS STRANGE
this piece of toasted cheese will do
GIVE ME AN OUNCE OF MONEY
o let me kiss that hand of mortality
THIS GREAT WORLD I’LL NOT LOVE
read with no eyes in head
NO MONEY IN PURSE
behold the great image of authority
ROBES HIDE ALL
o untimely death
I FAIL
where have I been
WHERE AM I
i know these are my hands
THE GREAT RAGE
high I am foolish
MY STATE STANDS ON ME
ill thoughts coming
THE MYSTERY OF THINGS WE’LL WEAR OUT
not so hot I am not well
STOMACH SICK O SICK
my sickness grows upon me
THE LAWS ARE MONSTROUS
plague I must embrace thee
UNTIL SOME HALF HOUR PAST OF PASSION JOY AND GRIEF
she comes over
we contract it in an instant
THE BODIES ALIVE OR DEAD WAS BELOVED
image of that horror
I HAVE SEEN THE DAY A DULL SIGHT
all friends all foes no breath at all
UNDO THIS GORED STATE
the weight of this
WE THAT ARE YOUNG SHALL NEVER SEE SO MUCH NOR LIVE LONG
EXIT WITH A DEATH MARCH