“portrait of the flooded basement” by Michael Russell

July 17, 2024

Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “portrait of the flooded basement” by Michael Russell. Due to its formatting, this poem is only available as an image.

portrait of the flooded basement

By Michael Russell

hunched over a silver pot i haul a mouthful of oatmeal to my lips watch the steam furrow my eyelids tonight nothing but dogs & bloated stomachs the endless heat choking a room gagged by lightning lamplight flickers & another stampede of thunder charges the sky deluge the patio with rainfall & omens dogs burrow their noses under blankets & thighs shutter their eyes barricade their ears in the crevice between mattress & sweat in ten minutes the basement will flood the drain a greek fountain will spit water feces piss one by one i’ll lift call desperate a rabid hunger for strength whisk each mastiff closer to the storm offer their bodies to a snarling planet baring teeth buckets & buckets of sunflowers

Copyright © Michael Russell

Michael Russell (he/they) is the queer, mad mother monster behind two chapbooks, gallery of heartache (forthcoming from 845 Press) and Grindr Opera (Frog Hollow Press). They are the coauthor of chapbook Split Jawed with Elena Bentley (forthcoming from Collusion Books). As always, he thinks you’re fantabulous. Insta: @michael.russell.poet

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