Cento: Inspired by Kate Tempest

How many yous have you been?

If you want to know, ask your lovers, especially

the ones who don’t talk to you anymore.

Picture the scene:

Youth, in his hard-bodies, glistening bullshit,

shoulders and hard chests and arms like rosary beads--

His body pours itself to puddles

It spreads itself over my tongue,

You told me I reminded you of Venus when I smiled at you,

and I giggled as if I was a beautiful girl--

I’ve been dizzy on that feeling ever since

The world is a terrible place for sensitive people,

For all of you, for all of it, the air is wet,

The walls are the colour of rain--

On the jukebox, Under Pressure

Let them sing in your ears and dance

in your mouth and ache in your guts

Born to hold the world under her tongue--

Don’t swallow yet

I feel like punching every stranger in the face;

I’m moving as if I have never been gentle

We’re tied to our fate like it’s mythical

This means we are born for unhappiness,  

This means we will keep buying outfits--

And people think I found myself in Goa

But since when did the clever folk ever know anything?