first there was january’s thaw
followed by february’s
and then came march
each time afterward
winter reminded how winter
loves to wield its influence
eventually the water pump
would be plunged
back into the garden well
and the pondless waterfall
would once again
extend its invitation to a world
deep in comfort & imagination
april two thousand twenty-five
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
something is missing
but it’s difficult to pinpoint
exactly what it is
an immediate death
tends to make the mind
run rampant
searching for answers
to questions
that no longer exist
believing that finding
what is missing will
somehow put everything
back in alignment
what’s missing may not
be that important after all
but it’s nice knowing
whatever it may be
can’t possibly
be gone forever
february two thousand twenty-five
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
he was an old soul
in tune with an energy
alien to the planet
he had set foot upon
for less than a
quarter century
though the violent
nature of his death
will transcend
space & time
that alien energy
once residing
above the ground
will forever evolve
throughout
& beyond
anyone’s imagination
november two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
believe in the here & now
and celebrate with me
all that is good under the sun
you may not know me
but I am your long lost brother
back from the dead
to proclaim the good news
believe in yourself
and celebrate with friends
all that is good under the stars
if you are blue
may it be purposeful
a temporary state of mind
giving way to awareness
believe in this world & beyond
eyes witnessing & celebrating
all that is good under your watch
october two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there’s no cause for celebration
when the old man dies
it was his turn the young woman
tries to explain to her child
it’s a surprise there is any celebration
this year let alone any year
outside there is strange activity
as if the infantry
is parachuting over rooftops
flashlights in tow
down below in musty cellars
ordinary citizens
are locking & loading
praying the outside forces
have come in peace
december two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
listless like a lemon tree
on a cool winter day
a little lonesome dove
sings her sad sad song
behind darkish clouds
a blue sky is hiding
the lonesome dove
wishes to change her tune
evening segues into night
now the moon is hiding
the little lonesome dove
longs to be a snowy owl
december two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
this little glass mason jar
begins with nothing
a small seashell
and a little smooth stone
rubbing between thumb
and forefinger
make a wish
anything is possible
the sun rises the moon sets
it’s another day
in what used to be paradise
forget-me-nots
bloom every other year
dark-eyed juncos
returning every late november
in the little glass mason jar
a feather & a tell
discovered halfway up the hill
deeper inside
in the center of the earth
a new journey begins
december two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
tell me who is happy
at least those in the know
or even the ones wearing
rose-colored glasses
I understand many angels
have descended
where the bombings
are the heaviest
mending their own wings
while tending to casualties
—how dare the rest of us grow old
witnessing the powers within
[in the meantime]
peace loving people
are handcuffed & blindfolded
{many left for dead
& therefore the angels}
held hostage & violated
by way of a broken world
and empty promises
november two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there was a guarded optimism
afloat but unseen in the air
like a vague sense of security
that’s inherited by nature
but unheard from for ages
perhaps dormant
aching to be stirred
november two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there was a sign of hope
amidst the ongoing trauma of war
was it the sunshine after weeks of rain
or a small flock of white doves
appearing out of nowhere
flying across the battlefield
or was it as simple as a small child
snapping off a branch from the olive tree
there were invisible badges of honor
pinned to the soldiers that perished
ambushed & incapable of defending themselves
some say they were cowards
others say martyrs
the supermajority calling them victims
or their own leaders
regardless
the invisible war intensified & the price paid
was incalculable
unseen or unheard
by the beachgoers & the firefly chasers
impatiently searching for some kind of hope
november two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
who do you love
when you are alone at sea
one sail & one body
—pieces of teak & cedar
space is like water
clusters of stars your next
destination
one wave after another
soon peace will be restored
—like never before
celebrations will erupt
throughout the lands
from the sea you make out
millions of candles
assembled along the shoreline
the dying winds of war
making them flicker
october two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
how many times
had it been bombed & rebuilt
—what was so special
about this place
that even their ghosts
[time & again]
would rise to the occasion
refusing to be launched
like a rocket into the sky
well beyond the ether
october two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
it is peaceful
inside the war room
mainly due to the lack
of any military personnel
in front of the south window
a betta swims
in a heated fish bowl
while on the outside sill
a juvenile raven peers in
october two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I can’t seem to shake her
anywhere I go
by land or by air or by sea
always on my tail
like a puppy or a shadow
an unshakable soul
I am rarely lost
but often found
hanging out at the shoreline
breathing in the promise
of an unmistakable
tomorrow
come morning you will be here
like a blue moon
in the making
once upon a time thin
as a wafer
relentless & unwavering
august two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
worlds are colliding
great balls of fire
streaking through space
here on earth
there is fire on the mountains
and fire on the seas
—on the mainland
bales of hay are
spontaneously combusting
right alongside
living & breathing alien beings
soon the only ice on the planet
will be man made
attempting to cool down a collective
suddenly looking back
to a future with promises
of grandeur
july two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
you can only hope to outlive it
the system of the clouds
designed to wear you down
with or without shadows
a woman with wings
swoops near the surface & accelerates
back into the sky
—most likely she is not alone
how far they’ve traveled
is a matter of speculation
it’s as if they’ve been here before
the way they know
the terrain
the way they call your name
it’s never too late to change
they seem to be saying
coaxing you out of the cave
insinuating it’s safe again
to see the light of day
may two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserve
jdubqca 