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This poem was nominated in the “Revealed
2014 release for the (40 year) Pushcart Prize.

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Watch the YouTube video
of Kuypers reading this poem at the open mike 01/18/12 at Gallery Cabaret’s the Café Gallery in Chicago
video videonot yet rated
Watch the YouTube video
of Kuypers reading poetry (including this poem) at the open mike 01/18/12 at Gallery Cabaret’s the Café Gallery in Chicago
video videonot yet rated
Watch the YouTube video

of this poem read live in her Pilsen feature “Games We Play” 3/17/12 at Café Mestizo (music from Francois Le Roux, the HA!man of South Africa)
video Enjoy this feature-length YouTube video of many poems read 3/17/12 at Café Mestizo from the live feature “Games We Play”, including this poem (posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetryshow
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See YouTube video
of Kuypers reading this piece in the live show the Janet Kuypers with the music of HA! at Chicago’s Gallery Cabaret 20121003 (Canon)
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See YouTube video
of the Janet Kuypers with the music of HA! full live show at Gallery Cabaret in Chicago 20121003 (Canon), including this piece
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See YouTube video from 3/19/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her 3 poems “Beauty in the Eyes of Einstein”, “Games We Play” and “erasure poem: a Declaration of Female Freedom” live at Austin’s Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed from a Canon Power Shot SX700 camera).
video videonot yet rated

See YouTube video from 3/19/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her 3 poems “Beauty in the Eyes of Einstein”, “Games We Play” and “erasure poem: a Declaration of Female Freedom” live at Austin’s Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed from a Canon Power Shot SX60 camera).
video See YouTube video from 12/9/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Ocean’s Call to Dive”, then her poems “Games We Play” & “Beauty in the Eyes of Einstein” from her book “Say Nothing” at the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr).
video not yet rated
See YouTube video from 12/9/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Ocean’s Call to Dive”, then her poems “Games We Play” & “Beauty in the Eyes of Einstein” from her book “Say Nothing” at the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Keeps Pounding Against Walls” from the v5 cc&d boss lady poetry collection book “On the Edge”, then her poem “Walking Home from School” from her interview/journal/poetry book “In Depth”, then her poem “Games we Play” from the v5 cc&d boss lady poetry collection book “On the Edge” at “Recycled Reads” 8/18/18 (Panasonic Lumix T56).
video See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poem “Keeps Pounding Against Walls” from the v5 cc&d boss lady poetry collection book “On the Edge”, then her poem “Walking Home from School” from her interview/journal/poetry book “In Depth”, then her poem “Games we Play” from the v5 cc&d boss lady poetry collection book “On the Edge” at “Recycled Reads” 8/18/18 (Panasonic Lumix 2500).

Games We Play

Janet Kuypers
(01/16/12)

this game we play
don’t say you don’t know I know

this game we play
it’s written all over your face

no,
I don’t think anyone else sees it

it’s like we’re the only ones
with the enigma key

just you and me

but I don’t think you’re playing fair
you keep your distance

sound my alarm
give me this feeling

like the loss
of a missing child

you put me on amber alert
until you come to me again

you kiss me

we embrace for too long
before you leave me again

then when we’re together again
we meet in a crowded room

we remain at opposite corners
act aloof

act like we don’t know
the other one is just waiting there

so we play this game
almost avoiding each other

until we’re alone
and we spill ourselves onto each other

and again,
we embrace for too long

before you leave me again

but all my cards are now on the table
I’m showing you my hand

and no one can see
what’s on the line

but this game we play
this balancing act

this coming,
this going

I’m sorry
am I the only one feeling this

as we come together
then dart away


Copyright © Janet Kuypers.

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may be reprinted without express permission.


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