When I Try to Verify Why They Carpet Driveways After the Rain, Google Keeps Feeding Me Distressingly Hot Factoids About Hermaphroditic Earthworm Sex
Until I thought to check, I thought I knew:
worms emerge from dirt to tar
on the run from drowning. Actually no one understands
their reasons. Maybe

worms emerge from dirt to tar
when vibrations ape a predator. Or are
their reasons maybe
traveling fast on slicked slab? Reproducing? 

When vibrations ape a predator, or are
mock applause when I drop a glass
traveling fast on slicked slab, reproducing
language is beyond me. My speech breaks with static snow,

mock applause, when I drop a glass
knife voice. Sticking to the surface
language is beyond me. My speech breaks with static snow,
turns trail. Trail: proof and proof of absence. Here’s my opened-by-a-
        
knife voice sticking to the surface
of the steel. Spill
turns trail. Trail: proof and proof of absence. Here’s my opened-by-a-
mouth mouth. I say

of the steel spill
that I can be allowed to want. I’m saying
mouth: Mouth. I say
all

that I can be allowed to want. I’m saying
I’m
all
mouth,


I’m
just open
mouth,
and I’m

just-open.
I feed
and I’m
equalizing pressure.

I feed
like falling and I fuck like falling,
equalizing pressure,
meant to shed a wreck of men

like falling, and I fuck like falling
was becoming of the nymph stage. I claim I was
meant to shed a wreck of men,
their aims. I knew what needy grubs, what writhing life I’d swallowed clean,
          
was becoming. Of the nymph stage, I claim I was
on the run from drowning. Actually no one understands
their aims. I knew what needy grubs, what writhing life I’d swallowed clean
until I thought to check. I thought I knew.

————————————–

Callie Jennings called us from Boston, MA.

voicemailpoems.org/submit/
facebook.com/voicemailpoems
x.com/voicemailpoems
bsky.app/profile/voicemailpoems.bsky.social
instagram.com/voicemailpoems

"When I Try to Verify Why They Carpet Driveways After the Rain..." by Callie Jennings

Poetry via voicemail. Missed calls you need to hear.

Open submissions accepted.
Guidelines at http://voicemailpoems.org

"When I Try to Verify Why They Carpet Driveways After the Rain..." by Callie Jennings

VOICEMAIL POEMS