Chew on This

Joy Leftow, born in Washington Heights in New York City, is an American poet and short story writer who often appears on local radio shows and at local poetry events in her hometown. Leftow has been active in the New York City poetry scene since 1993, frequently reading at poetry evenings (at CBGB's, the Wetlands, Cornelia Street Cafe, Bowery Poetry Club, the Back Fence, Palmer Vineyards and the Paris Cafe) and making appearances on local public radio shows, such as Poetry Central, Teachers & Writers Collaborative, Everything Goes, The Sounds of Poetry on Adelphi Radio on WBAU-FM, Jazz Poetry Café with Phillip Gregory on WFLO and Cool on the Groove on Rockland World Radio Program[2]) and television The New Yorkers. She also organized and hosted a "spoken word" session at the 4th Annual Uptown Arts Stroll event in 2006. She has over 2 dozen publishing credits and is listed at Poets & Writers website. The following is a piece of her work.

Is It Love or Excuses

by Joy Leftow

You avoid me because 
you know I know
your secrets
the thoughts that make you ill
I know how you feel

 
Sometimes you utter nothing
at all & the tv gets louder
to drown out the sound 
of my words, my voice 
a discarded memory
of what's left unsaid

 
We don't discuss
what I think is wrong 
as I record the trail you forge
with the sound of your voice
hollow in my veins
while I follow you room 
to room echoing your thoughts 
fill the room's silence 
Thunder claps Pin the distance

 
You say the echo is loud, too clear
you turn up the volume, cover your ears 
while I bisect & categorize 
the entrails of your thoughts 
My unsaid words follow 
the curve of your hips
As you move to and fro worrying 
I'll disparage what you say

 
I listen, record the flow
of your words, you want me 
to share my observations
I do; for you they only personify 
my excellent clinical skills
your firm lips cover my unspoken words 
a poor excuse, a moment frozen in time
I like the way I feel about me
when I see myself in your eyes

 
Your eyes hold back tears; 
you stare at me & hide your soul; 
why should you share to recreate the pain 
I don't exist for myself or you
Your mind's eye a reflection in glass
None of it real

Joy Leftow is a guest writer for Brownscape Productions. For more info about Joy check out her blog.