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
it’s not hard to fathom
how I’ll be buzzing amongst the stars
after the brutal reality
of destroying the body
whether gradually whittling away
or in a sudden burst
my estate quickly trading
at a deep discount
the church again under water
illegals replacing the stakeholders
accepting the goods
over a simple bribe
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
how the weather rules
making or breaking the redness
of the newly-picked tomato
imitating the strawberry moon
providing a temporary light
to the eerie stillness
of that night before the storm
devastating crops
wreaking havoc on food chains
and supply chains
affecting the cost of living
of those already inching
toward the precipice
where sea invades land
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
hours before the dawn
I lay awake on my deathbed
breathing shallowly
the nasty weather outside
superseding any other sound
that may be coming out of my mouth
my only fear is that if I fall asleep
all hell will break loose
my mind stuck in heavy mode
processing reality into dreams
projected from my narrowly open eyes
onto the ceiling above me
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the stock market opened unpredictably
bringing about the business of today
to a world of misfits & elites
in an interview some executive said
everything is connected
a fairly obvious observation in relation
to the internet of things
dark angels sit atop forty wall street
reading the morning headlines
and contemplating suicide
after earning seasons the bottom line
doesn’t seem to matter much
underground minions working overtime
turning red losses into black profit
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
a once scorched earth
now covered in water
the flood gates
no longer operable
didn’t you once say
this place
would be uninhabitable
for anything without
roots or wings or gills
eventually even the plastic
bottles become
useful as bobbers
—artificial fish fishing for fish
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
the programmers say it’s a glitch
how the grizzly bears appear
to be walking like egyptians
it was supposed to be a child’s game
but turned into a free-for-all
online competition at an all-time high
some say it’s exactly
what the world needed as unhinged
leaders wage war like never before
the end of the story is never near
though at times the collective psyche
sees the crowd-size fading
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
we made tracks & arrived late
to the swap meet
trading cheap seat tickets
for seed packets
exotic fruits
& wildflowers
—some plane jane vegetables
the vendor thanked us in his native tongue
a melody of syllables ending in bless you
we nodded & acknowledged by saying
we’re but mere mortals
and then off we went
to the nearest ATM machine
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I wouldn’t know where to start
except to say the vault was left unlocked
what got out isn’t exactly known
assets with financial & emotional value
like a painting
a portrait of someone special
who used to walk the earth like the rest of us
now stopped in time
expressionless
it’s remindful of the saying about the horses
and the barn doors
how you can see them racing off
like a bird out of a cage
speed demons never to be seen
I guess it’s less about what was inside
than why it was there to begin with
in the end
cornered like a mouse facing the guillotine
june two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
one day she decided not to eat
having this desire on solving
the problems of existence
instead she took to liquids
at first some water & then some milk
later on a glass of lemonade
at which point she wondered
how many ghosts were haunting her mind
into the afternoon she had some tea
and thought only for a moment
how good a biscuit would taste
maybe with a little butter
or some marmalade
but then she moved on
relaxing on the settee in the parlor
sipping on a glass of chardonnay
her instincts dulled by convenience
soon falling into a stupor
soon dreaming of her teddy bear
the stuffing inside growing larger in the belly
like a waxing gibbous
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
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
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