dead and dying poets
with regards to Bill Sovern, and also Charlie Newman (who as far as I know ain’t dead yet)
everywhere I look
dead and dying poets
out on blue highways
celebrating another bang up show
stalled out along the road
but their words are still needed
dead and dying poets
cold in their beds
piled in blankets
the living grasping
at the fog of their last breaths
dead and dying poets
in stained blue collars
with sweat and tears and blood
straining voices to be heard
roaring over assembly lines
dying poets rock dead poets
in their arms cooing elegies
dying poets in horror
searching aerial photographs
witnessing mass graves
counting out syllables and beats
and the body parts of dead poets
keeping score for men who don’t read poems
dead and dying poets
piled up in Gaza
ghazals into dust
piled up in Cecot
décimas down the drain
piled up in school yards
ashes ashes we all fall down
everywhere I look
dead and dying poets
something to say and they ain’t saying it
dead poets
prayers not answered
dying poets
poems not yet written
Jonathan S Baker lives and works in Evansville, IN where the bouncers are villains, the Christmas Trees are fine, and there is a saloon at the bottom of the Ohio River. They are the author of several collections of poetry including Cock of the Walk (Laughing Ronin Press) Long Nights in Stoplight City (Between Shadows Press) Pressure (Two Key Customs) and Centaur (Dark Heart Press). They are also the co-host and organizer of Indiana’s longest running and most prestigious poetry series, Poetry Speaks.
