Nobody needs a reason
to be sad
it just happens
I mean sure people have many
reasons to be sad
and they are because of it
that’s a given
but generally speaking
having a reason is not a prerequisite
to sadness
And so there it is
a little pink dress hanging on
a little hanger
in my peripheral
challenging me to make it a reason
december two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I’m a songbird
without a song
whispering sweet
nothings
there is sadness
in the silence
this much I know
I’m a songbird
without a song
listening for a clue
on a windless night
but there is only sadness
in the silence
this much I know
I’m a songbird
without a song
underestimated
and determined
turning sadness
into a melody
this much I know
practicing wetting
my whistle
until the morning light
october two thousand twenty-two
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there is sadness in the water droplets
dripping from the wind chime & into
a silver bucket half full of dirt
someone is already dead
buried in the blurry past
misremembered for bad deeds
& false accusations
the dog & cat ran away from home
uncertain if in concert or on their own
leaving behind bells & bones
& broken memories
october two thousand twenty-one
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
she furrowed her brow
the girl with the brown hair
she pouted & she smiled
brushed back her brown hair
using either hand
& slowly walked away
what does she see
when she walks away
suddenly it’s present tense
& I sense tears
welling in her eyes
she is sad she is sad
there’s no question with this fact
she is sad
she is sad
the cause of her disconnect
unknown to any of us
she sees nothing
when she walks away
neither past nor future
the present tense
is all there is
& by the look in her eye
nothing seems promising
why did she furrow her brow
or pout or smile
& why did she suddenly
walk away
when everything
appeared to be so promising
july two thousand twenty-one
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there is sadness in the air
but in order to hear it you have to
shut everything down
whether it’s inside or out
of the body [or the house]
depends upon the strength of the sun
or the brilliance of the moon
follow me or lead the way
into the orchard
where seeds are plentiful
and temptations are as palatable
as sadness circulating in the air
january two thousand twenty-one
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
interesting times often lead those
living barely on the surface
finding solace in dark & sullen places
often where fallen angels convene
discussing in greater detail
their strongest of all desires
and their willingness to obtain them
at all costs
october two thousand twenty
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
I’m a witness to my own sadness
but I swear you’ll never see it
as you may have guessed
I’m good at keeping it all to myself
I’m selfish that way
you may ask me if I’m doing okay
& I’ll tell you of course I am
for you see the sadness
comes & goes just like the wind
isn’t it funny how that works
today was another b-plus day
much better than yesterday
but as for tonight or tomorrow
that’s still up in the air
if only you would call I’d be forced
to show my hand
july two thousand twenty
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
sadness used to show up
unannounced and we’d sit up
until sunrise drinking
whatever was left in the house
I kept telling myself the next time
he appeared out of nowhere
I wouldn’t let him in
but of course that didn’t happen
and he continued to pretend
to be my friend
I told him I was thinking about buying
a brand new puppy
a black one I said
so I could learn how to keep him at bay
and teach him to protect me from
monsters like him
july two thousand fourteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
peering out my window
clouds gather around
and darken
a once promising
bright day
blackbirds circle above
slowly descending
and squawking
instinctively finding
shelter
thunder murmurs and moans
and i close my eyes
suppressing
a distant memory
knocking
once the showers arrive
i gaze past the pane
your image
refreshing like the rain
falling
december two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
sit beside me my child
and listen to my story
where all the people
of the elusive valley
live in harmony
and die in peace
sadness beheld
my child’s eyes
as she cried in disbelief
certain my story
of the elusive valley
had been blown
to smithereens
november two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
innocence is regrettably lost
when exposed to a virtual world
bent on glorifying decadence
through intense selfishness
where powerfully dark forces
can bring an angel to her knees
sending her somersaulting
beyond gravitational forces
that keep this planet in place
october two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
We drove through the cemetery
in the dead of winter
until we found the blue canopy
flopping in the wind
Many inches of snow had fallen
the night before but the plow
had cleared the lanes
A bright sun and dress shoes
hit the asphalt with purpose
As many as a hundred faces
converged on the canopy
in steadfast silence
Gusts of wind arrived from the west
and tossed snow off the roof
and onto the gatherers
Familiar prayers were recited
between coughs and sniffles
and one woman’s weeping
When a bugler played
a familiar lullaby
the vacant faces drifted
in varying directions
whispers of sorrow filling the air
january two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 