Him & Again

Apr 27

by Jasper Segner

John Marshall High School

Jasper Segner is a junior, attending John Marshall High School with an endorsement in music. They have been writing since they were 11 years old and developed their current style about a year ago. They are a musician and artist along with an author and plan on attending UTSA majoring in music education.

Him

Words as sweet as honey

A touch as soft as silk

Gentle hands that graze my skin like an autumn breeze

Love as fierce as the summer sun

Eyes like burning embers

Words as sweet as honey

But the stings of bees forever haunt me

I can’t get away

What if

I’ve learned to keep my feet on the floor

My head out of the clouds

I’ve learned what’s good for me

What harms me

What heals me

But now

With these

Words as sweet as honey

I can’t help but remember the stings of bees

If you expect the worst you can’t be disappointed

He can’t hurt you like before if you know it’s coming

He can’t break you like they did

You’re prepared now Good girl

You’ve learned your lesson You remember me

I’ve always trusted to easily - now I have none left to give You will never be rid of me

I’ve always given my heart away - now I keep it in a cage I haunt your dreams, don’t I, doll

Words as sweet as honey Words as sweet as honey

Intoxicatingly sweet Intoxicatingly sweet

A dangerous trap set by dangerous men A glorious thing

But maybe

Hopefully

Not him

No, darling

Even him

Again

The bite into skin;

The smooth pain

And rough edges;

Silent screams

And quiet tears;

Necessary evils;

Groups of five

Because the thoughts don’t stop, not even for this

Make it even, make them clean

No, not like that, again

Again

Again;

The satisfying stinging;

The blood washing away

The water tinted red;

Rinse

And fucking

Repeat;

I’m terrified to continue

Of what he would do if I did;

I must I must I must

Because the thoughts can’t stop, not even for this

Consistency, consistency, my love

No, not like that, you idiot

Idiot

Idiot;

Lines

Lines;

Five at a time;

Words

Words;

They must be even and precise;

Do it over again

Again;

Do better

Same spot

Again;

Deeper

Again

Interview with the Author

What pieces inspired you to start writing poetry?
Reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur wasn't the reason I started but it was the reason I began to take it seriously, and it's what set me on the path that brought me where I am today with my writing.
What theme do you find yourself constantly writing about in your works?
Pain and my own past experiences. My poetry is my favorite way to vent and allow myself to speak about things I don't tell anyone else.
What do you think are important elements in thought provoking poems?
A diverse vocabulary is definitely important. Using very descriptive or unique words can really take a poem up a notch and give it detail that it otherwise would lack. Also the little details in formatting. You can tell from looking at my poetry that I'm very detail oriented with it and I like to create patterns to later break to put emphasis on a word or phrase or to begin a new "chapter" of the poem.
What role do you think poetry has on our society today?
I think that poetry is a form of speaking about things you otherwise never would. Whether they keep it private or share it with the world, authors often write about their lives and their surroundings, the good and the bad. They tell love stories and they talk about every horrible event they've ever been through. It's almost a form of therapy.

David Armstrong

Him & Again

Alone