“How to Avoid Second Person Point of Way” by Robin LaMer Rahija

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Drink much coffee
until that burn is normal
on your lips.

Drink until your body’s habits
wrap themselves around it
until you can’t sleep or shit

or bear speaking to your lover
or move your own blood
around your husk without it.

Drink until you surpass
the need for food
at a few of the appointed

human mealtimes
an elevation of needs
really

that cleanses your memory
of the terrible terrible
thoughts you think all day.

Become comfortable
with drinking coffee and beer
at the same time

no not coffee flavored beer
but like you made coffee
and then opened a beer

and upon realization
decide to choose neither
therein choosing both.

Constantly mock your friends
who don’t drink coffee
like their ignorance

of their own hidden desire for it
is a personal flaw
only mockery can cure.

Yes your heart will beat
irregular-like but its a heart
it can take care of itself.

Sit down to type and stare
and seep a little from the edges
of the eyes and drink to calm down.

Sit down to type and stare
and seep a little more and drink
a little more just ‘cause.

Go all Robert Frost and try
to repeat a stanza like that
might improve it somehow.

Go all post modern and reference
the same poem you are
currently in the process of writing.

Go all fuckin’ fuck you
and put some cuss words
in there for shock value.

Try to write a love poem to coffee
like you’re 14 or something
when caffeine was the most exciting drug

you’d done so far.
Realize your love poem turned
into complaining about your bummer life.

Drink it with 2% milk with no sugar
because your mom drank it
2% milk with no sugar.

Avoid saying things like
I need coffee and Don’t talk
to me until I’ve had my coffee

because your mom did.
Instead say things like
Coffee sounds good right now

or Do you want to stop
at Starbucks first? This shows everyone
obviously you are not addicted obviously.

Breathe for 24 hours.
Then breathe for another 24 hours.
Repeat if found pleasurable enough.

Realize there’s no other out there.
You are talking to yourself.
Hey self can we stop at Starbucks first?

Replace coffee with any human-made liquid or goo or flake.
Replace all the you’s with I’s or he/she/it’s or they’s.
That line is where the title comes from.

Wait until you feel very northward moving.
Avoid maps or at least maps on fire.
Be greedy and brave and say

I
I
I.

-Robin LaMer Rahija

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