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Garden of Gravestones
through amber waves of grain
regime snakes slither
belly-grinding the sweated wheat
farmers procure
for flakes of slime soaked in verbal spittle
shelved by government drones
consumed by the masses
united debates on tv
crawling blind into our living rooms
baby needs new shoes
what’s that?
my baby needs new shoes
junior miner wants black lung
just like father and grandfather
celebrity miracle-worker
save us
the drool of dollars and nonsense
crumbs from your mouth
and
impact
our invisible assets and
means nothing
yet shifts the populture
through verses of curses
insect fillet you say
texas desert will
consume them
who will never kiss the ring
or genuflect in puddles of blood
Transition Mission
the Ramones blaring on your car radio
belies your new suburban house
there is a difference between growing your hair long and just not getting it cut
the old table you unpacked
weighs more than you remember
drenched with past insanity
wrought by the gnarled hand of madness
but you’ve just bought a brand new kite
and it’s windy outside
Solitude
two thousand nineteen
breathy pianos
attempt to revive
the once living room;
however,
the chords knot around
screaming angels’
halos where
godless harmonies
gallop a siren song
eating the livers of fate
numb(ers)
from dread to extinction
in two thousand thirty
James Kowalczyk was born and raised in Brooklyn but now lives in Northern California with his wife, two daughters, four cats, and nine fish. He teaches English at both the high school and college levels. His work has appeared in print and online.