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"to stand still and yearn to go", "good for you", and "sunlight incarnate" by Tamara Bašić

to stand still and yearn to go


you sit in silence,

ground moving beneath the soles of your shoes, beneath the tracks; cities rushing by, a blink of an eye–

and you're gone again


somewhere else, somewhere new,

pink trees and white skies and the smell of sunscreen in the air;

take a picture,

but the moment's already gone


and now you're driving through the night,

a different kind of calm,

except you're still here –


slowly realizing the magic

of standing still

and yearning to go.


good for you


I’m not good for you–

you, who crave to love and be loved

falling asleep in the arms of hope

free of tomorrow’s nightmares


I’m not good for you–

me, daughter of dying stars and useless daydreams words slipping through my fingers

and crumbling like fallen leaves


I’m not good for you–

a man with the universe in his eyes

and comfort in his touch

a gentle eventide after a harsh day


I’m not good for you–

a woman gone mad

from trying to find galaxies

and painting the sky red with starfire


but your turn of phrase,

moonlight spilling out of your every word,

a soft brush of midnight,

somehow feel like an eclipse in reverse


so maybe these stellar explosions

I can’t help but desire

should make way for the quietude of dusk an unhurried, restful slumber;


I’m not good for you–

but I want to be.


sunlight incarnate


He sits on the edge of the world,

turning a pair of sunstruck eyes

toward the skyline


something about the sight is startling

but really, it should be no surprise

that he’s brighter than sunshine


and so hours pass in this silent calm–

he looks on as another day dies,

Helios climbing back into the divine;


still, he stays golden, defying the dark,

and in that moment, I realize

I’d give anything to make him mine.


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