Collection of American Cinquains

Illustration by Vetill Binondo

Forewarning: The following poems describe rape, suicide, abortion, and mental illness/es. Reader discretion is advised.

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐋

Late noon.

The mellow sun

Is ripe gold in the sky,

Casting 3 o’clock shadows on

The trees.

𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐒

Mid-flight,

Your radiance

Wanes my wings; and I knew

I’d die for the chance to kiss you,

My sun.

𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍

Take me.

Spread my petals

On your bed’s mattress, and

Turn my skin into liquid gold.

I’m yours.

𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐙𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐒

My love,

I’ve been waiting

Since midnight at our spot;

Yet dawn has come, and you are still

Not here.

𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃

Greed is

The ill pasture

My wretched soul so claims,

Upon which my befouled roots shall

Decay.

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐌𝐀

Hands, lips,

Unwanted touch.

His skin invades my skin.

Would he have stopped if I said "no"

Never.

𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐀

'Tis frail,

My aching soul,

To which the nightmares come;

To which the faithful dawn is but

A lore.

𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐙𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐌

Anxious.

I bite the pill

The way I bite my tongue.

It leaves me numb and empty, like

A ghost.

𝐔𝐍𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆

Doctor,

I don’t want it.

It’s only 3 months old.

Yes, I’m sure—can you do it?—Good.

That’s good.

𝐒𝐈𝐍

Our crimes

Go beyond grave,

Each done and still doing;

Lingering like a ghost, never

Fading.

𝐀𝐌𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐀

She asked,

“What is your name?”

“I don’t know,” I tell her.

She cried. In her tears, I saw a

Stranger.

𝐄𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀

Mercy

In the shape of

A bullet in my gun,

Because it is faster than my

Cancer.