Daring Winter Escape

That December,
Rocking in a chair
And reading Rumi,
I ceased to reflect in a mirror.
You broke into tears:
“How can I trust you ever again?”

In January,
I began to levitate
By the chandelier
Reading Khaayam.
It made you nervous.
You learned to
Throw the rope like a cowboy,
Pulling me back into the bed.

And in February,
I went into spontaneous combustion,
But you, ready for contingencies,
Slept with a fire-extinguisher
And put the flames out,
Destroying my plan
Of daring escape
To the 12th century Persia.

About Alex Galper

Alex Galper's illustrious life includes escaping to the West from being drafted to Russian army at the age of 19, studying poetry under Allan Ginsburg at Brooklyn College, working across USA as a computer consultant and finally performing his own poetry in Russian and English all over the world. His poetry is a combination of mysterious Russian soul, Jewish "laughter through tears" humor, and American admiration for open-forms and Beat counterculture protest. He has been published in over 50 Russian and English language magazines and is currently the subject of UK documentary "Brooklyn Siberia" to be released in the Fall, 08). Also, he is scheduled to read before Russian-American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan later this year. Currently, he splits his time between New York and Moscow.

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