happiness defined
an impossible venture
using merely words
instead running afoul
with your own basic instincts
second-guessing
past mistakes
as if they can be corrected
if not in real life
then at least
in your own head
having churned there
long enough until dissolving
into nothingness
like a beautiful but forgotten
memory
july two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
pizza delivery driver
a throwback w/flowing blonde hair
singing merrily along
to any song on the air
better known by day
as the doughboy surfer
making waves off huntington beach
quite often seen on the board
devouring a slice of green
pepper & pepperoni
paid for by someone else
july two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the world as we see it today
—more surreal than yesterday
puzzle pieces
in a state of flux
affecting mind & matter
especially things your eyes can’t see
july two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there are at least two sides to a story
some you can buy cheaper than others
to make yours more believable
your relative volume needs to be greater
than all the others combined
that is how Jesus & Elvis still live to this day
and lastly it matters not if the narratives are fact or fiction
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
dancing along the ropes
one minute left in round one
he shuffles & jabs
calculations flashing before his eyes
a precision uppercut
—followed by a haymaker
landing right at the spot
flashing lights out
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
she told me I wasn’t the one
and I believed her
she said there would be someone else
long after my time here
who would wage the war of all wars
one that would bring
everlasting peace
I responded in kind
saying I wanted peace without
waging another war
it was then she left the room
laughing as she went
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there is a certain chemistry
that exists between
certain people
like mothers or lovers
friends or enemies
—it’s as if communication
is best executed via telepathy
but when said communication
suddenly breaks down
the chemistry has already
passed on
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
time is a sworn enemy
& my best kept secret
stashed inside a brown glass vial
—I dare not show a soul my
prized possession
for fear their originality
may never haunt again
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
when the talks stalled
the prisoner was handcuffed
blindfolded & relocated
to a safe house two towns down
it was not the first time
they had come this close to getting
their name back
not the last time the sun would rise
without their knowledge
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the beauty queen is gone
courtesy of a ticking time bomb
counting down from the war zone
since the day she was born
she knew not the beauty
nor the innocence born within
wrapped inside her mother’s arms
for what seemed an eternity
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
if you stare into space
long enough
something is bound
to catch your eye
but if you’re willing
to remain unfocused
the big picture
is sure to follow
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
embedded inside a cloud
I scanned the ground below
absorbing the color pigments
into my own virtually brown skin
darkened by an unrelenting sun
I squeeze oils out of the cloud
rubbing them on my body
instantly feeling a warm relief
a sort of self-medicating ritual
leaving me feeling better
about myself & the world below
the panacea spreading like wildfire
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
science & data can’t explain
emotions of the heart
longing & loss
compassion
depression
love & loneliness
numbers alone
cannot asses
the true condition
of a broken heart
like a fractured melody
a rhythm lost in the dark
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the cops wanted
the surveillance footage
but all that was there
was white noise
watching for an hour or two
not a single one
could possibly tell you
what was what
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I wonder what they’re saying
chatty birds in nearby trees
clearly heard amid the calm
before the storm
might they be saying
get underground all you fools
or better yet be prepared
to ride with the wind
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
lost in the moment
tree frogs & cicadas
fine-tuning their evening song
the first star appearing
in the darkening ceiling
—worlds far away far from motionless
what were you thinking (if anything)
when you kissed me so sweetly
may two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
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