inside city park
faces inspiring or otherwise
come and go by day
and by night
uncaring free spirits sitting on benches
walking across water
or upon thin air
in the center
there is a god continually
creating
taking in all the inspired faces
(or otherwise)
rearranging destinies by way
of fortunes or falls
turning rain into sunshine
and night into day
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there are sunflower seeds
wrapped in paper towel inside
plastic sandwich bag
stowed away in kitchen drawer
above in cabinet canister of coffee
frequently removed from shelf
one or two scoops taken from within
right around sunrise
placed back nonchalantly
eventually container goes empty
the scoop left to its own devices
seeds still seemingly forgotten
dying to be found again
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the headlines are loud and clear
wars at home and abroad
national championship game
bull market stock run
millionaire lotto winners
cars swept away in mudslides
russian babies born in miami
they mean nothing when
stitched together haphazardly
presented in pretty picture frames
designed to throw us off course
like some juvenile giraffe
on a mission to make new friends
unable to see the wood for the trees
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
winter is a temporary affair
beautiful and inviting from the inside
fires burning in twilight
bodies warm and comfortable
dreams hot and cold and as real as life itself
she looked like an angel from afar
and especially up close
a winged creature who whispered
to me in my dreams
how winter is a temporary affair
and soon I will come back to life
and she will show me how to live again
how I wanted to believe her
but in the morning all was lost
those dreams I could easily touch
once again become out of reach
and as I go about my day
I repeat to myself
winter is a temporary affair
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
back in the day
haircuts cost a nickel
and most working men kept
shotgun or two out back
don’t make me go out
to the shed
he would often say
but nobody knew exactly
what that meant
boys learn to chop wood
before snow ever falls
piling stacks upon stacks
attempting to stay
two steps ahead of winter
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
Hop skip and jump
all the way to bank & back
nickels in pockets
pennies in shoes
The ice is thin
but surprisingly strong
watching in amazement
elephants marching on
Many moons smile
only a few may frown
there is orange in the sky
nobody seems to forget
Listen here and listen now
silence and fireworks
commingling on purpose
resting up
for the unrest
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there is truth in numbers
and there is money too
the two go hand in hand
like youtube and click ads
so these cats we knew
decided to get off the grid
cash in their chips
bought one-way ticket to cape town
determined to find truth from
some mojo guru goddess
of course once there
they were told to draw a number
forced to blend in line with
other carbon dated records
all competing to uncover exact
combination to make it out alive
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
horizon gives way to five dimensions
showcasing countless colors
subconscious minds deciphering
all of it effortlessly
spinning like a top along invisible plane
surfboarding spacecraft
reverse course from unknown points
riding atop high rolling waves
aircraft and watercraft once lost
inside triangles
reappear out of future air
joining in on the spectacle
ceremoniously
if not downright paradoxically
january two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
There is change in the air
smoke from wood burning stoves
linger above rooftops
Plows clearing streets
snowmen cropping up at an alarming rate
crows welcoming the dead
wingspans boldly contrasting
against whitened sky
Nobody saw the sunrise today
at least not in these parts
where there is no connectivity of
any kind to any grid
There are neighborhood stores
and places of worship and refuge
and children freely play outside
even on the coldest of winter days
new year’s day two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
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