The Honey Bear

By Eileen Myles

Billie Holiday was on the radio

I was standing in the kitchen

smoking my cigarette of this

pack I plan to finish tonight

last night of smoking youth.

I made a cup of this funny

kind of tea I’ve had hanging

around. A little too sweet

an odd mix. My only impulse

was to make it sweeter.

Ivy Anderson was singing

pretty late tonight

in my very bright kitchen.

I’m standing by the tub

feeling a little older

nearly thirty in my very

bright kitchen tonight.

I’m not a bad looking woman

I suppose O it’s very quiet

in my kitchen tonight I’m squeezing

this plastic honey bear a noodle

of honey dripping into the odd sweet

tea. It’s pretty late

Honey bear’s cover was loose

and somehow honey dripping down

the bear’s face catching

in the crevices beneath

the bear’s eyes O very sad and sweet

I’m standing in my kitchen O honey

I’m staring at the honey bear’s face.

Copyright Credit: Eileen Myles, “The Honey Bear” from Maxfield Parrish: Early & New Poems. Copyright © 1995 by Eileen Myles. Reprinted by permission of Eileen Myles.

Source: Maxfield Parrish: Early & New Poems (Black Sparrow Press, 1995)