Feed the Lake

for Jake

“All that matters is feeding the lake. I don't matter. The lake matters. You must keep feeding the lake.”—Jean Rhys

You lie on your stomach

your arms folded underneath

your body— a wild gypsy drunk off wine.

There are devils in the cards, 
chained and waiting.

The moon inside our chests bleeds

a lake of light and cold dust.

Feed the lake.

Temperance— 
masculine and feminine 
are one universe.

All the knowledge that exists, 
exists inside our bodies. 

We search for a key

to the door to make the door

open. 

            Feed the lake,
            make the door open.

Denise Rodriguez received her MFA in Poetry from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, and her B.A. of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. Her work has appeared in Room Magazine, A River and Sound Review, VAYAVYA Magazine, The Doctor T. J. Eckleburg Review, Kweli Journal, The Pedestal Magazine, and other fine places. She was a participant in the 30/30 Project for Tupelo Press during the month of August in 2013.