Art–Life Balance
Daniel Helsing
I. Strife
work tasks
art thoughts
catch myself
go to you
identify
talk with you
let you catch me sometimes
though not as frequently as last year
fucking jesus are you
making this into a poem
catch myself
catch myself
work thoughts
art tasks
II. Friday Night
Life is one big question when you’re staring
at the clock. I’ve got my red dress on tonight,
high heels off, I’m feeling alive. Freedom’s just
another word for nothing left to lose. We’ll just keep
each other as safe as we can. Raise your glass
in this Dionysian night, vitriolic twilight—you
taught me everything—yeah, I’m the one with no
soul—’cause on the surface the city lights shine,
I hope in my next lifetime I can be a black bear
too and flesh itself is magic dancing on the clock
and time itself will dance with the ghost of our
long-lost love. I love you standing all alone in a
black coat. You are the apple. Is this life or poetry?
you say. Life, I say. You bastard. Life is poetry.
III. Acknowledgements
Life ... “40 Oz. to Freedom” by Sublime
I’ve got ... “Summertime Sadness” by Lana Del Rey
Freedom’s ... “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin
We’ll just ... “Run” by Daughter
Raise ... “Raise Your Glass” by Guns n’ Wankers
Dionysian ... “City of Angels” by The Distillers
you taught ... “Drain You” by Nirvana
yeah, I’m ... “Violet” by Hole
’cause ... “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
by Arcade Fire
I hope ... “Black Bear” by Black Bear
and flesh ... “God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot”
by Buffy Sainte-Marie
will dance ... “Ghost Song” by Cécile McLorin Salvant
I love you ... “West Coast” by Coconut Records
You are the apple “You Are the Apple” by Lady Lamb
Daniel Helsing lived in California and Nevada for five years before moving back to his home country Sweden in 2023. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Lund University and is a co-editor of the poetry magazine Populär Poesi. His essays and articles have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, including Physics Today and Sydsvenskan, and his poetry has appeared in Santa Barbara Literary Journal. He resides in Malmö and teaches at Lund U. Daniel Helsing is online at danielhelsing.com.