April 2015
I am married to the calligrapher/henna artist, Catherine Lent. We have three daughters. As a retired teacher, I spend most of my time writing, reading, watching birds, cooking dinner, and doing dishes. I have published poetry in many literary journals such as The Literary Review, New York Quarterly, and US1. My book, Even That Indigo, was published in 2012. My poem “Red Moon,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by US1. http://us1poets.com/archive/volume-57-2012/#Moon
Sagebrush
for John Ferrari
All they found was a rosary,
some Hemingway, and a notebook
of his own poetry, but no note
in a field full of questions
like Why Nevada?or Where
did he get the gun?—as if guns
don't grow on trees.
And who cares whether he left
the pickup door open or closed it?
Might as well surrender
to the buzzards, if there were any,
what they witnessed.
Might as well look to the wind
for the last word.
There is no more comfort
to be found in his poetry
than in the name of the wildflower
pressed in blood on his cheek.
Dinner with the Boss of All Things
He says the menu is epic.
I can get anything from leg of dinosaur
to a Milky Way shake.
I want something that swam
in the same river twice.
He orders for me, but lets me
get the check, eats with his mouth open,
speaks while he chews.
I can’t stop staring at the bloody tendon
caught in his teeth.
For dessert, he says, as he winks
at the waiter, he’ll have me.
I say, I don't think so.
But we both know he will.
©2015 John Smith