herin
is his ability
to imagine
to create
to be the poet
to be the musician
the storyteller
breathing life
to illusion
assinging
divine credence
to anything
scored by man
would be
an assault in
orders of magnitude
beyond anything
we comprehend
beyond the weight
of billions upon
the scales
of time
i’m running
a hospice for cats
and no
no, it’s not rewarding
not at all
it’s not a
necessity, no
no.
but because
because my
soul is too weak
to love him
it’s so bittersweet
my badge is
salt lined streaks
from years of
memory recall
i can’t
bring myself
to
euthanize you
old friend, please
please forgive me
i’m running
a hospice for cats
and i hope there is
comfort in
knowing
just
that…
we love you, mario.
mothers
bury theirs
their sons
and daughters
brothers
and sisters
bury, theirs
uncles and aunties
cousins, nieces and nephews
pop pops and bubbies
bury them too
my mother cremated hers
we will scatter his ashes
there, will be no headstone
after his memory
nothing is left
just…
sprawling landscapes
and these vast
empty oceans
on a planet
spinning
adrift
in a
sea of ink
none of us deserve
this
not any longer
pencil thin
pencil thin
walls caved in
if you call it
i’ll give
if you double
down
i’ll win
i’ll win
shelf it
swallow it
wall it in
dancing
on air
while the others
are gasping
pencil thin
pencil thin
your motive
your ego
your collapsing
always taking
fever collecting
the cost of
capitalism
you win
they win
melt it
hammer it
forge it within
burning out
oxygen
while the others
are gasping
i draw the
last breath
i win
your
words
perforate
my soul
while
your eyes
grind
inadequacy
from every
pore
you can plan
and cultivate
bond with word
accommodate
prove your love
and ingratiate
build-up to
or culminate
but you
will never
deviate
from your
outlined fate
forever deemed
an unsuitable mate
you said
i’m ready
to leave
i’ve lost
the connection
wasted
my time
and need
a new direction
there is
no one else
i’m just
speaking
truth
never meant
to deep root
what you
really meant
was
you would rather
be alone
than be
with me
i am
second
to nothing
you, stayed
you chose
nothing.
i accepted
this
and pray
something
never comes
along.
when i catch
the glint in your eye
reflecting the light
the wisp of your lashes
in their graceful flight
the curve of your lips
as your head turns
ever so slight
i realize
this is how
your beauty strikes
consuming me
with the fluidity of life
a thousand moments
that echo through time
although randomly sequenced
the frames suddenly align
and i, standstill
awestruck and
mesmerized
so lucky i am
to be in the presence of
such a gorgeous sight
place your wager
hold your sighs
sky’s the limit
starry eyes
r.matlack 