A bag of fish food for two caught catfish
A batch of cookies for cabbage and kale
A dozen double-yolk eggs that will never make it to market for a chance at a five-pointer
A gallon of blueberries, ten ears of corn, fresh baked bread, and warm peach cobbler for a day of tilling and a repaired tractor
Ledger entries for transactions made with country currency
what I think matters none
interests affect our evidence
will mislead you into drawing
false conclusions
skewed world view
Filling the sponge
with facts and acceptance and understanding
identifying everyone in family photos daily
every plant with their glorious colorations
functions of the mundane
He hangs on my words
as he hangs on my neck
safe in my arms
as the world is described
one feature at a time
His babbles
joined with smiling nods
Understanding
that love is
unconditional
The constant clink
of your fork against the half empty
dinner plate.
Shoving the food you
so desperately wanted down,
attention staggering
to the hall–
the hall where there’s a lock
on the door of the bathroom.
Where there’s enough
space between the dinner table
and the toilet,
that the tv could drown out…
You forcefully scrap the remains
from your dish and claw
the wooden chair.
Show after show playing
in the neighboring room.
If you just sit there
long enough,
the urge might just
Vanish.
I don’t know how to quite explain
why their guns are so big to him.
Shadow Moon (November 14, 2016)
I am standing beneath
a bright night sky
lit by a Super Moon
visiting close for the second time
in my life
It is so bright
I close my eyes and wish
I could absorb it.
But there is a shadow behind it
almost surrounding it.
A shadow so dark the whole world
quakes in fear,
I feel the light
let it wash over me
trying to cleanse the pain
the anger
the hurt
the hate
from those too blind to see.
This day
this light
this historic moment
can it replace
the horror visiting me
the world
my fellow man?
Shall I just stand up
shake my fist
cry out to them?
I cannot,
I must reach out
touch you
touch them
love them
and hope
the cloud will fade and
love will reign,
It is our only hope.
Tony Sexton
I admit a strange thill to
see a wrecking ball’s square hit
against that crumbling structure’s
cornerstone, the one that’s not
doing anyone much good,
maybe never really did.
What can we build in its place?
I chose eight note cards, reprints
from old botanical plates drawn
and colored from nature
with concise descriptions and rules
for culture. Luscious
and perfect specimens glowing
on an ecru background of handmade
paper:
muted rose effusion of peony
golden fanfared sunflower
cotton blouse flounce of carnation
loves me, loves me not daisies
bee buzzed delicacy of sweet pea
orange silk scarf petaled day lily
densely packed pink zinnia
scarlet petunia duet
All are unique, with steadfast beauty;
a bright note to transplant
into someone’s day. Much like
the friend they are intended for.
