Objects In This Rearview (Poems)

By Travis Montez

Travis Montez has released his sixth, and perhaps most compelling and introspective collection to date: OBJECTS IN THIS REARVIEW.

Here, Montez grapples with masculinity, family ties, the lasting impact of child abuse, intimacy and love with an unflinching clarity and raw, poignant honesty.

Lovers of the prior Montez collections will find the writer at the top of his craft. New readers may find an instant favorite.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387509676

Book preview

Objects In This Rearview (Poems)

OBJECTS IN THIS REARVIEW

poems

by

Travis Montez

Copyright © 2018 by Travis Montez

for In Theory Productions

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-387-41782-7

"There are two kinds of poets. Those that use their art to mask.

And the ones that use it to reveal."

- Keith Roach,

Nuyorican Poet’s Café Slam Master 1998-2008

Rest in Love, Keith.

Thank you, for your wisdom, your kind, honest words and for translating the stars to a reluctant poet.

Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover's inward eye.

-Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

Post Script

you love me.

and, you are not a coward.

it’s important that you know

i understand those things.

you love me.

and, have never been a coward.

so, when you finally start to leave

it’s out of love;

not fear.

you leave me, sweetly. like a kiss in reverse.

take back your breathand effort.

and, even nowyou are kind.

you let me believe for a time,

that it’s just the natural push and pull

the inevitable tide of life

washing you from these

shores

we’ve made.

whatever. 

you are going. not gone. not yet.

you let me love you.  still. because.

you know how much. i need. to love.

you know. how much. loving you. means. to me.

but maybe you know. too.

that i am notwho you will

love mostin your life.

and you are making room. kindly.

for that heart.  to come.

i would prefer brutality, though, a sudden end.

to this polite torture. of watching you leave. slowly.

if. we could just. if i i i could just….

whatever.

i thought i hadso much more

time time time time.

left. to perfect loving you.

to finally give.you.

all that i

know i can.

i hope, though

in all my imperfection 

in the incompleteness

of thisyou didn’t miss

what i healed

what ilet go

to let you in.

i got some things right. 

but, the wrong that still remains is this:

i made you responsible

for my happiness.

ignored. sometimes. often.

the