the complete destruction
of the inner self
man-made annihilation of the
third kind
on the verge of reinvention
of inner thought
of stillness & water & ash
a private practice
a near death experience
may two thousand twenty-two
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
choose wisely what you remember
if that is even possible
despite the accuracy of the moment
the further back you go
the more vivid it seems to be
there is an aum in your future
I can feel it
one in which forces you to slow
things down
opening the possibility
of moving further
than you’ve gone thus far
in your short time here
from there you can launch yourself
as long as you continue to possess
the fortitude & the will
august two thousand twenty
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
over the river and past the clearing
I fly where the wintry winds take me
spreading my translucent blue wings
void of any single solitary thought
my traveling companion holds on tight
in sync with my soundless breathing
inquiring within how on earth this flight
could possibly transcend even higher
I convey the end’s neither near nor far
this journey is simply a new beginning
accelerating and climbing effortlessly
soon to breach the next known barrier
december two thousand nineteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
five fifteen in the morning
I focus on my breathing
nearly twenty seconds it takes
to inhale and exhale
three times makes one minute
fifteen makes five
along the way I lose track
and for a moment
I find myself back in time
some sort of cosmic energy
hurtling me forward
then dragging me down
this path I take is legendary
at times god forsaken
other times a godsend
always beckoning me
offering abundance on one hand
and betrayal on another
before the rising sun
washes away the stars
introducing its ultraviolet rays
with creative passion
I slowly blink open my eyes
at five twenty in the morning
december two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
it started from no single event
like global warming did
or the demise of a species
first he borrowed some
free time and stuffed it into
an ornate box
lined with red velvet
it was furnished with a
red-cushioned chair
a painting
unbeknownst to none
hung from one of the walls
but he kept his eyes closed
sinking into the chair
barely breathing
eventually the air collapsed upon
itself
until inside the box was nothing
but a passing thought
february two thousand seventeen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the weather turned midday
as a warmish sun gave way
to coldish clouds and variable winds
nearly knee deep in blackish
backwaters
rainbow trout suddenly start
striking at mini-jigs
hand and eye react instinctively
despite scattered thoughts
racing past
slippery rocks in river bed
patience is like an acquired taste
(you tell yourself)
best served in solitary confines
the cool waters gradually
drop in temperature
yet you continue to wade
further away
dead set on an eddying pool
silently calling your name
november two thousand sixteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there is the constant running of streams
sometimes serene
often chaotic
always never-ending
when rain falls so hard you can’t hear it
but it’s there in your heart
water rolling down
keeping you alive
eventually it flows into your daydreams
nourishing your soul
refreshing your spirit
opening up the way
april two thousand sixteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
lying flat on the floor
first I bend my mind
then my body
from there I wonder
where my soul takes me next
temperatures rise
then fall to record lows
the crow flies due north
searching for something new
moving pictures
stored on the ground
and in the cloud
suddenly freeze
lying flat on my back
I close my eyes and
pretend I’m breathing
for the very first time
january two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
sitting cross-legged on the floor
my mind shut the door
and i was left alone
in the dark
with a candle and a match
i closed my eyes and focused
on a fire burning in the belly
of a giant fish that swallowed me whole
delivering me to unfathomable depths
where indescribable creatures
ruled an invisible world
as ocean waves crashed on top of me
the door violently swung open
and the room became drenched
with natural light
my hand still holding
the unlit match
the candle
nowhere to be found
january two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
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