The Night the Muse Dumped You by Jennifer Lagier

You have nothing,
imagination’s needle on empty,
Read, revise, and then discard.
Pound flaccid keyboard.
Pray for a miracle.

You have exceeded your
creative shelf life.
Now it’s nothing but rejects
from English majors
enrolled in Literary Magazine 2
to fluff their own vitae.

Didn’t I warn you?
sneers a sadistic inner Nazi
who taunts by revealing
the virginal page
you will never deflower.

Your dominatrix muse
bends you over the desk,
uncoils her dark whip,
flourishes red-ink editorial pen,
makes your aching soul suffer.

Jennifer Lagier has published thirteen books, taught with California Poets in the Schools, co-edits the Homestead Review, helps coordinate Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium readings. Newest books: Scene of the Crime (Evening Street Press), Harbingers (Blue Light Press), Camille Abroad (FutureCycle Press). Forthcoming: Like a B Movie (FutureCycle Press, 2018). Website: jlagier.net Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferLagier/