I Do Not Say

Posted on May 6, 2018 by John Biscello
I do not say I love you,
but I notice how your fingers
twine and wrap around empty,
tracing broken circles in the air
when you are nervous.
I do not say I love you,
but there is a spot on the nape of your neck,
which radiates blush with the slightest tease
or provocation, and I do not tell you
how I belong to it,
its small history, and wisps of symmetry
soldering pink to gasp.
I do not say I love you,
Silence, you see, my longstanding master,
having taught me the gauzy reckon
of slow holy burn,
and ice floes, papered with daisies,
adrift in motherless golden haze,
perpetrating nature as silent cinema
with lines and actors to spare.
I do not say I love you,
but I know all of your hiding places,
and have left bread-crumbs there to commemorate
your movements between revelation and secrecy.
I do not say I love you,
for there are words, unborn, wanting, waiting,
wanting, hard-pressed to become
roseblood on vellum edges,
pinches brightening subtle measures
and violent pauses.
I do not say I love you,
but I dutifully observe and record
every starred recognition,
turning the world on its ear,
tracing my mouth to the air that your hands
just touched then abandoned.
I do not say I love you,
but I do not forget, ever.
Memory, exact in its tether
to origins, shows me
a home,
a harbor,
an exchange to marry music
to breath in frets and starts.
I do not say I love you,
my voice, time-locked to nuance,
finds you again and again
in poems,
bound between the cross-hairs
of absence
and praise.
Unknown's avatar

About John Biscello

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, writer, poet, performer, and playwright, John Biscello, has lived in the high-desert grunge-wonderland of Taos, New Mexico since 2001. He is the author of four novels, Broken Land, a Brooklyn Tale, Raking the Dust, Nocturne Variations, and No Man’s Brooklyn; a collection of stories, Freeze Tag, two poetry collections, Arclight and Moonglow on Mercy Street; and a fable, The Jackdaw and the Doll, illustrated by Izumi Yokoyama. He also adapted classic fables, which were paired with the vintage illustrations of artist, Paul Bransom, for the collection: Once Upon a Time, Classic Fables Reimagined. His produced, full-length plays include: LOBSTERS ON ICE, ADAGIO FOR STRAYS, THE BEST MEDICINE, ZEITGEIST, U.S.A., and WEREWOLVES DON’T WALTZ.
This entry was posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

52 Responses to I Do Not Say

  1. Kindra M. Austin's avatar Kindra M. Austin says:
    May 6, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    Reblogged this on and commented:
    Holy Wow. Check out John’s blog, ya’ll.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. House of Heart's avatar House of Heart says:
    May 6, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    This is so beautiful I’m without words other than that it has left me speechless.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. John Biscello's avatar John Biscello says:
    May 6, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    Love the spare lyricism and tautness.

    Like

    Reply
  4. erroneouschoices's avatar erroneouschoices says:
    May 6, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    You know I’ve fallen in love with this.

    Like

    Reply
  5. erroneouschoices's avatar erroneouschoices says:
    May 6, 2018 at 9:55 pm

    Love in its purity needs no declaration

    Like

    Reply
  6. erroneouschoices's avatar erroneouschoices says:
    May 6, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    The part about the neck, all the lines, each of them, ❤️

    Like

    Reply
  7. saynotoclowns's avatar saynotoclowns says:
    May 7, 2018 at 6:00 am

    Beautiful! And stuff. Like beautiful

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. House of Heart's avatar House of Heart says:
    May 7, 2018 at 7:34 am

    Reblogged this on House of Heart and commented:
    Sometimes we find something so beautiful…here it is.

    Like

    Reply
  9. Aurora Phoenix's avatar Aurora Phoenix says:
    May 7, 2018 at 7:52 am

    Though i personally believe strongly in saying I love you, often, this is gorgeous evidence that there are other ways to worship a presence.
    Just lovely!

    Like

    Reply
  11. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.'s avatar Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. says:
    May 7, 2018 at 11:13 am

    Absolutely beautiful John.. Paul Andruss who writes a column for my blog recommended we head over and read it and he was spot on. Sally

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  12. Resa's avatar Resa says:
    May 7, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    I do not say beautiful. I say I have no words for this wonderful prose. Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Resa's avatar Resa says:
    May 7, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Oh, I found my way here via House Of Heart

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. shehannemoore's avatar shehannemoore says:
    May 7, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    Simply beautiful. Each word a pleasure to read. Glad Paul Andruss recommended.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. dgkaye's avatar dgkaye says:
    May 7, 2018 at 4:21 pm

    What a beautiful way to say what we sometimes dare not say. 🙂

    Like

    Reply
  16. AmyRose🌹's avatar AmyRose🌹 says:
    May 8, 2018 at 6:01 am

    You have left me speechless. Absolutely brilliant!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. CarolCooks2's avatar Carol says:
    May 8, 2018 at 7:03 pm

    I am so pleased I popped over from Sally’s…This poem is just…Is just…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. wardclever's avatar Ward Clever says:
    June 14, 2018 at 7:59 am

    Beautifully written, John! You don’t say it with words, you show it with vignettes, feelings, actions, subtle glances and gentle caresses. I loved this.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment