Double Gong, by E.D. Matz

Double Gong, by Alexander Calder (USA) 1953

Double Gong
1953

I saw a Calder in San Francisco and honestly, poor Calder,

you think you know a thing by its coffee table photo books and museum gift shop replicas 
but then you are standing in front of it suspended there in perfect equilibrium 
and I swear to you I felt that balance in every corner of my being,

as if the Calder had organized the molecules in its vicinity,
and I came into its presence,
and it organized mine.

I didn’t know art could do that, 
just like I didn’t know what it would feel like to be suspended under the sheets with a man I would happily keep

and dote on without reservation, 
admiring his tallness and handsomeness and boyishness and churlishness

and admire how he admires my 
wit and hair and breath and beauty

to be acted upon by the vectors of imperfection and desire

of obligations and insecurity
of your ex
my exes
your wine consumption
my spending
of real estate investments 
and political opinions 
and weeks out spearfishing when I’d rather you be home

vicissitudes begetting vicissitudes,
aligning in moments of grace

for that I would have swung with you forever.

E.D. Matz

E.D. Matz lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in order to conveniently spend her spare hours swimming in very cold water and haunting historic mining districts. If she's published anything before she can't remember where so it probably wasn't important, but she thanks you for reading.