“I HAVE LIVED THIS DAY FIVE HUNDRED TIMES”

Poetry
Written By Salem Paige

I HAVE LIVED THIS DAY FIVE HUNDRED TIMES

AND NOT ONCE DID I THINK IT WOULD END

AND EACH TIME IT DID,

I WATCHED IT BLEND ITSELF INTO THE DAY BEFORE.


I DO NOT TOUCH THE FLOOR AS I WALK OVER IT AND IT DOES NOT FEEL MY WEIGHT.

IT IS NOT EVERY DAY THAT I FIND MYSELF HOLDING THE MURK OF THE CANAL HOSTAGE AS LISTENER BUT THE ONLY STORY I HAVE IS ONE ABOUT A DAY I HAVE LIVED FIVE HUNDRED

TIMES BUT THE CANAL DOES NOT COUNT THE DAYS SO HERE I SIT AND HERE SHE LISTENS.

IF I WERE TO JOIN HER I THINK TODAY WOULD BECOME A DAY ALL ITS OWN AND I WOULD NOT

BE ALONE IN MY FLANNEL PYJAMAS BUT THE WATER HOLDS HER SECRETS TO BEING APATHETIC BENEATH HER TIDE - THOUGH SHE DOES SLIDE HER FINGERS AROUND MINE AS THEY FUMBLE MY EMPTY MIND.

I WALK AWAY AND LEAVE MY MIND UNDER HER CUSTODY

WHILE I LIVE THE DAY I HAVE LIVED FIVE HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE.


I WILL BUY MYSELF SOME FRUIT AND MAKE TODAY DIFFERENT UNTIL EACH DAY IS ITS OWN 

OR I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD FRUIT.

Salem Paige

Salem Paige is a queer, trans poet whose works revolve around the exploration of identity, technology, space, nature, and discomfort. Their work can be found in their collection of poetry, The Third Self (2023, Sunday Mornings at the River Press) and their chapbook to grow roots (2023, bottlecap press), as well as many literary magazines, journals, and anthologies. Paige lives and works on Algonquin Anishinaabe territory (so-called Ottawa, Ontario), where they spend time napping excessively, going on walks to free little libraries, and annoying their partner and their two cats.

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