3 Poems by Cher Bibler

Regret

When the first brick fell

we could’ve picked it up and put it back,

mortared it in place.

When the second, the third, fell

there was still time. It would’ve

been a simple task.

We saw them laying there, thought

it was no big deal.

We would take a day, a couple of days,

soon, and we would fix it.

Take the time to do it right,

only we never had the time.

More bricks fell, we pretended we

didn’t see them;

we no longer knew which went where.

I am not sure where the turning point was

but all of a sudden it was too much,

we couldn’t fix it anymore.

It was too big for us.

And everyone who looked at it shook

their heads sadly, could offer no

advice, could only remember the

days when it had stood solid and

proud.

Could only regret.

(no title)

I am breathing in your love;

it catches in my lungs. I have

to take it in careful doses.

I have to watch the

density of the air.

Sometimes when I’m alone

I cough it up in big drops.

It’s like oil and water;

your love means well, but

meaning well isn’t enough.

Airport in Columbus

People drinking scotches in one of the bars

Faces in computers buried in work

talking on phones you can’t see

gesturing as if to ghosts

while you pretend you can’t hear

pretend you’re not listening

that you don’t have an insatiable interest

in other peoples’ lives

you pretend to read your book

Bionote: 

Cher Bibler is the author of one book of poetry, California, California. She has worked as editor of Amanda Blue, a poetry magazine, and co-editor of a literary magazine, the Wastelands Review. She was a fiction reader for the Mid American Review and worked as poetry editor for the Heartlands Review. She was a book reviewer for Literary Zoo. She was a founding member of the alternative band Tinfoil, as bass/rhythm guitarist, singer and songwriter. Over their career, they released 12 albums. One of their songs, People Don’t Know, will be featured in an indie film, Certainty, directed by Keith Mosher. Her short story, Not Waving But Drowning, was a winner in the annual NOBS competition, and her current novel, I am never sure when, was a finalist in this year’s (2012) Faulkner competition. Her poetry has appeared in such publications as This Side of Paradise, Blue Hour Magazine, Thirteen Myna Birds and The Evergreen Review. She resides in Merida, Mexico, is in the process of forming a new band, and serves as the content editor of In Other Words: Merida.