Poems

It’s never been a matter of light.

Only I thought it was demons in spite.

But when you hold the bright to see.

It’s just a reflection of me.

Nothing but darkness surrounds.

All of my hope out of bounds.

But like a storm does the light strike.

And it’s brightness like a pike.

So while the surround is ever dark.

There’s always the core light to spark.

Backwards Girl

Heel-toe slaps,
Again and again.
One foot in front of the
Other; I am not
running away
I am moving forward
but facing the wrong
Direction.

Dirty once-white toes careful
on the bright white walk as
balance fails
Again and again.
(Converse=opposite.)
Worn once-black soles loud
on the jet-black street as
Traffic stops.

A shout and a lean
out the window
Into the cloudy air.
Hop to safety at the
side of the road, heels catching.
The rust-gilt cars shake weary grizzled
heads at the Backwards Girl
in the old shoes.

Departed by Diego Paciotto-Biggers
after waking up
once a day
God goes to the gym to lift the weight of the world

shortly after
he reaches into the cabinet pulls out a package
(“departed—5.19.16”)
and warms it in the microwave for 20 seconds
he proceeds to feed on the contents
to store them eternally in the safety of his ribcage

but they all taste the same these days
sour,
producers pumping them up with
pesticides
and he has to nudge too many to
the side

later he goes for a walk on his
Earth

today he watches his children
feed their ignorance to the sky
staining it gray
smudging his canvas
with naive fingers

grimacing, he waits in line to receive his paycheck
the others grinning
taunting him
“Why the long face, God?”
“Anyone still alive on that Earth? Huh? Lord Almighty?”
“Why even bother with Earth?”
“Earth? Hah…What a joke…”

he sat
watching his
Earth

eventually his gaze turned to Mars and he wondered.