Brine

I have a hook in my lip.
I have a hook in my lip.
Sensation is heightened from nose to teeth
Because of the hook.
And when the tide is high
The waves roll up deep inside,
For I have waters in my gut
From swallowing,
From being pulled.

Shshsheeeee
shshsheeeee
shshsheeeee
has a hook in her lip
and when the tide is high
the waves roll up deep inside.
Roheeeeeem.

Under the tide, over the tide, whirlpool.
Under the tide, over the tide, whirlpool.
(part of me likes this)
Under the tide, over the tide, whirlpool.

But
If you swallow,
If you let yourself be pulled,
The hook becomes very big,
The tide becomes very strong.

And when the tide is high
The waves roll up deep inside.

Swallowing. Being
Pulled. Swallowing.
Being pulled.
Swallowing.
Being pull pull
Pull pu pu
Pulled pull
Pppp pulled
Pull pull
Pp

Shshsheeeee
shshsheeeee
shshsheeeee
has a hook in her lip

One day I gnawed through the line.
One day I found the thought to pull myself.
And on that one day
The other pulling stopped.

Ha!

(From performance piece, "Brine", 1996. See photo gallery.)



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©1996 Marjorie Morgan