This poem is taken from PN Review 291, Volume 53 Number 1, September - October 2026.
Listening Door: Tibullus Retold
Blank dreams
Fetch more wine!
The strong stuff!
Let me surrender
to half a platoon
of crushed grapes!
Seriously,
finally I’ll sleep
and then don’t wake me.
When I’ve blacked out, love has too.
Listening door
Security’s doubled round Delia’s place.
Or at least her door has a harder bolt.
To hell with you, door, and her Mr Joyless!
Let the heavens rain torrents on you!
Change of tune
Sorry, sorry, sorry. No, please, open up to me.
...
Fetch more wine!
The strong stuff!
Let me surrender
to half a platoon
of crushed grapes!
Seriously,
finally I’ll sleep
and then don’t wake me.
When I’ve blacked out, love has too.
Listening door
Security’s doubled round Delia’s place.
Or at least her door has a harder bolt.
To hell with you, door, and her Mr Joyless!
Let the heavens rain torrents on you!
Change of tune
Sorry, sorry, sorry. No, please, open up to me.
...
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