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
at the apothecary shop
a wizard arrives & says
I’ve lost all my compounds to the fire
and must start from scratch
to replenish my inventory
what do you have in store for me
mister apothecary man
now the apothecary man
knew the wizard like a brother
but smelled himself a ruse
carefully replied his supplies too
were at an all-time low
and could not possibly let go
anything he may have in stock
with that the wizard departed
heading for the forest trail head
empty satchel over shoulder
considering how his next concoction
would be given discreetly
to the apothecary man
for his underhanded ways
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
where did the snow go
after all was said & done
even the mountaintops
are void the color white
gale-force winds
snuffing the candle’s wick
where did the snow go
after the seasonal rains
brooks & streams & creeks
swelling and flowing
rivers beyond banks & lakes bulging
like the waxing gibbous moon
where did the snow go
or was it simply sleight of hand
eyes looking upward
into an unfamiliar troposphere
tricking the mind into believing
the brilliance is forever gone
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
so I was thinking
once I’m gone
what would be my next
opportunistic move
and better yet
would I be up for it
what I’ve amassed
has mostly
resided in my mind
so to some degree
I’ll be taking
all that wealth with me
there is nothing
that will be left behind
possessionless
& penniless
my presence a vapor
left to chance
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
upon awakening
I was certain I had painted
my face red
I had done it to protect myself
from a devious sun
previously I had danced
inside a triangle
inside a circle
inside a square
I could not see the players
but the guitar & the flute
the snare & the cello
carried on in perfect harmony
one time my father kicked a ball
from the family room through the kitchen
& into the parlor
I was certain I was the ball
sometimes the crescent moon
awakens me at midnight
I am more than happy to comply
concerned how lonely
she must be
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
bird in my ear
newly purchased
at the five & dime
whispers things
I like to hear
before the storm
there is much chatter
[from the bird in my ear]
until that is
this thing called the lull
casually rolls in
it seems in no time
the bird in my ear
vanished before my eyes
taking with it memories
once instilled
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the wetlands are right around the corner
but we’re not going there
instead we’re heading north by northwest
to the grand opening of a discotheque slash karaoke bar
it’s true there are pink flamingos
at the wetlands
this time of year
doing their very own version of the break dance
the winds & crickets
cicadas & amphibians
all contributing to the rhythm of the vibe
the neon lights courtesy of their own imagination
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
he asks me the same question
only ten minutes later
then five & one
I don’t remember you ever
holding my hand
I say to my father
but he cannot hear me
not even with his one hearing aid
here let me turn you up
he says to me
what did you say
your garden looks great
I go on to the say
it should be another bumper
tomato crop
it was all I could do to get them in
he goes on to say
having not remembered
I’d been the one who planted them
just a few months ago
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
I’ve been waiting for the cicadas
to arrive
waiting for their sound
to replace the day’s
ordinary drone
I’ve grown accustomed to
when they arrive
I’ll be willing & able to join them
if not in song
then by in death itself
leaving behind a translucent shell
as someone else’s prize
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
small hands & barely a heartbeat
in fact if you went searching with a knife
you’d be hard pressed at finding the source
your maker is the same as mine
though by your arrogance you’ve evolved
into something much less than jesus or elvis
to embrace your false bravados
keeps mankind striding one step forward
only to tumble backwards into your confusion
may 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
on a cool moonless night
ubiquitous catcalls occasionally
pierce through tightly locked windows
it is a preternatural occurrence
the hairs on your arms
spontaneously rising toward the ceiling
the ceiling itself is a misnomer
and once grasping its possibilities
the sooner you’ll want to leave this world
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
jdubqca 