Submitted by Benjamin Gorman on April 27, 2015
When day’s work is finally done
and you stumble on a moment
and you’re seated quietly
and your arms, work-wearied
rest limp in front of you
how easy it is then
in the pause of things
to put hands to face
rub tired eyes
and in that ephemeral
moment of darkness
the sigh escaped
the empty lungs
that pause between breaths
you imagine
a stop
reset
new breath
reboot the systems
start it all up again
but this time differently
everything shifted slightly
recognizable but better
clearer, surer, and more focused
doubts evaporated, clouds parted
and you long for imagination to be real.
Submitted by joshua mertz on April 23, 2015
Lying in bed
My apartment next to the tracks
Listening to the trains make love
BAM! CRASH!
SCREEE! KABOOM!
They are not subtle about it
Though it is always in the dark
Behind a fence
Maybe they think I can't hear them
Maybe they can't help themselves
Oh, to be a freewheeling train
Slamming together in the dark
With some gaudy box car
Or elegant tanker
Bam! Crash! But less metallic
And without the screeching brakes
Submitted by joshua mertz on April 19, 2015
I wish to be reborn into the light
Every day
I wish to awaken every day
As the Spring awakens from the Winter
As the shoot awakens from the Earth
As flight awakens from wings
I wish to love my poor words
To see them fly as strong messengers
As graceful birds
Into the traitorous arms of Hope
I wish only for another season
Another breath
Another heartbeat full of lies
I wish to fly, birdlike
Into the loving arms of the Harvest
Where there is still unsullied hope
And unsullied dreams
Submitted by joshua mertz on April 11, 2015
We have taken the last million years
And compressed them down
Into this little movie
Running time: one minute twenty-six seconds
Let's take a look
There, that didn't take too long
Leaves one a little dizzy, eh?
Now--
Did you see yourself?
I thought not...
Your country?
Not even a fleeting glimpse...
How about your religion?
Your job? Your politics?
That wonderful drive in the mountains
That reconciled the two of you
To the bone
Before your next stumble?
Yes, that one does stand out...
Do you remember
Your next breath?
The first moment of every awakening?
The moments between moments?
Hmmmmm...
I'm afraid you'll have to go back
And take the course over
Take better notes this time
It helps
See you at your next final
Submitted by Benjamin Gorman on April 11, 2015
Stairs a neat haiku:
five, seven, five to landings;
poems everywhere.
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