first I lost my love
then I quickly lost my mind
encapsulated in glass
crashing headlong downstream
toward the convergence
known as the styx
consumed by the great marsh
my mind disappeared
deep within the underworld
leaving me cold and empty
and unable to understand
exactly what afflicted
my ailing heart
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
tower guards flash spotlights
across the desert sky filled with zeppelins
searching for someplace to hide
the wreckage in the field goes unnoticed
for nearly a fortnight
by the time help arrives nothing is out of place
ever since
black sheep wander the land of fools
where someone is certain to die
any given night
slaughtered by supersonic streams of consciousness
running artificial red lights
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
if I was any more aware I’d be dead
she said
lying face down
the anguish in her voice the result of my will
digging deeper into her quads
what’s that supposed to mean
I said
switching things up by slowly
massaging her thigh
locating more tissue
untouched in so many years
oh shit
she said
I felt that
oh god that feels so good
that part about the dead
I asked
what’s that all about
some sort of enlightenment
oh yes
she said
that’s exactly what it is
and if you just shut up
you just might get me there
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
we pump ourselves up with artificial
intelligence designed to make us fly by
unnoticed and unashamed
turning our dreams into newsflashes
made to fizzle in the dark
leaving everyone wondering
exactly what went wrong
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I returned to earth as an underfed
infant in a remote village
where nurses are plenty
and painted-face doctors
routinely perform miracles
Years later my dying mother
begged me in a language
I barely understood
to escape the poverty this
barren land provided and
seek refuge in the golden city
As I traveled by foot from
desert town to desert town
visions of previous lives
entered my waking dreams
detailing how I had traveled
this road centuries ago
comforting all who hungered
by first feeding their minds
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
sometimes by millimeters
other times by inches the boulder
moved closer to the edge
over time the river carved
new pools out of wind and rain
recreating and repeating itself
reinventing the landscape via
natural courses of events
all the while the boulder
followed along the bank
like an intricate mechanism
inside a priceless chronometer
powered by the sun and destined
to witness the end of time
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
at the sound of the bat
feet flee from first base to second
body suddenly veering toward the outfield
as the infielder kicks the ball
quickly picks it up and stretches and lunges
trying to tag the third out
untouched
the runner stumbles onto the bag
looks up at the tying run
crossing home plate
but wait
the second base umpire is making a ruckus
his hands waving
madly in the air
arms sweeping in circular fashion
now standing
the runner on second hangs his head
knowing the game is over
called out for running
out of the baseline
players and coaches run wildly
to and fro
either screaming ecstatically
or in angry disbelief
some thirty thousand fans
casting lots for the umpire’s head
their perfect day ruined by human conjecture
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
fires in pits burn like hell
smoldering blind arrogance into
nondescript skies
wayward planet tumbles unnoticed
indistinguishable from any other
breathing thing on life support
its black gold stripped and sold
ages ago by alien mariners
time travelers daring for closer looks
would be hard pressed
to find usable oxygen or
colorful postcards floating alongside
amphibian skeletons busily
building new fossil records
may two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
let it ring
don’t answer that
nobody’s home right now
especially now
outside it’s raining and sometimes
it seems the doorbell is ringing
but it’s just the rain
ringing in my ear
and that pounding
the pounding on the door
that’s just my head
repeatedly shouting
no no no don’t answer that
don’t you dare let anyone in
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
Acres of sugarcane slowly
burn from manmade fires
designed to consume
dry leaves and deadly snakes
before the open fields
are methodically cut with
machine-like men wielding
cane knives and machetes
Such worldwide crops become
building blocks for molasses and
rum and fuel for third world engines
but when refined and shaped
into bite-sized cubes
become dropped and stirred
into coffee and tea
oftentimes popped
directly into childrens’ mouths
rewritten april two thousand fourteen
original dated october two thousand eleven
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
you started out as an idea
and developed beyond creation
abandoning the seed
you thrived in and out of water
sailing beyond mountains and
conquering various realities
you are a like a tumultuous
space rock hell-bent on
reckless behavior and aspiring
to start whole new worlds
you started out as an idea
and evolved into yet another
intelligent species
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
girl in polka dot dress sits and
sips cappuccino at the internet cafe
nose to chin masked behind
fingers concealing pocket aces
conspiring to expose her hand
I move all in escorted by kings
proclaiming to win her heart
girl with poker face smile
sips cappuccino at the internet cafe
her eyes looking down and
alluringly taking this town
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
spelling bee contestant
standing tall and composed in her
new very high heels
submits question after question in
search of meaning
behind unfamiliar words
parents proud and smiling
stream current reality using
digital recording devices
concealed inside mere palms
light years beyond her peers
she recites in haltingly fashion
every single letter perfectly
knees buckling together
trying not to pee as the
whole world stands and applauds
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
we sat on the front porch
and watched the grass grow green
over a kahlua and cream
and slice of moon
between sips I told her I wasn’t
going back to compete with the rats
and cockroaches in the city
they can all go to hell I said
she nodded her head
body slightly swaying while both hands
held onto her cup protectively
I don’t trust those sons-a-bitches she said
the wind shifted and blew
the coolness of otter creek into the
open air and through our bones
opening my pocket watch
I told her it won’t be long before
they tire of the city
and resume their journey
back to god’s country
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I would understand the ending to
every single story inside you
if only you would open your skin
I would understand if you chopped
every branch and bough from the
apple tree and
carved into its core
your own sacred totem pole
if you chose to set sail off the rocky
shores of the atlantic
and never return to our native land
I would understand
if you were born in another place
and a different time
I would understand you as much
as I do today
should you vanish without a sound
nor provide a reason for
not wanting to see me again
I would only pretend to understand
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
whiskey god turns over the keys
at supersonic speeds
cutting to the chase and racing
through the royal countryside
he doesn’t care about the time
of day just as long as shots
ring across the center white line
like exaggerated backfire
they follow the scent all the way
along roller coaster road
like a couple of grim characters
out looking for a good time
once reaching the crossroad
whiskey god hurls the
blazing sun into the guardrail
putting an end to their perfect day
april two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 