Penitence
Megan Cartwright
A pastiche of memory for which I have no map
(and no sense of direction, so what’s the use in that?).
A night of looped conversation / distorted overlap.
I know you humour me because it kills the time.
Diffidence walks into a bar; I’m the punchline.
Choke on remorse, on the suggestion of a crime.
Applaud my artless performance of brazen stupidity.
A whining mosquito pleading plausibility.
Mission accomplished: I made you think less of me.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Megan Cartwright is an Australian college teacher and poet. Her work has appeared in Authora Australis, Blue Bottle Journal, October Hill Magazine, and oddball magazine. She also has poems featuring in upcoming issues of Arteidolia Press’ ‘Swifts + Slows’ and Quadrant.