John Destalo

John Destalo Jun 2020

the rage. the spark. the flame.

you set me on fire.

and waited.

as I turned to ash.

I am not phoenix.

I will not rise.

you had one chance.

and you blew it.

John Destalo Jun 2020

salamanders

there were
these creatures

in the woods
they would crawl

into my hands
I named them

and made them
a family

hoping they would
stay together

but whenever I
released them

they would scatter
I guess that’s just

the way things are

John Destalo Jun 2020

brainpower

like pieces of
broken glass

minds are
sharp

they cut your
insides

and shred
your skin

you bleed and
you cry

shedding
liquid

staining
material

things

meaning is
a solid and

a liquid

when I
spent too

much time
alone

with my
thoughts

they called
it suicide

John Destalo Jun 2020

alien

speak a treatise
on belonging

I thought
existence

into

the being
part of

human

birth is a
pressure

to escape
stillness

and peace
and every

day after
just continues

that path
a pattern

the longing
to return

at war with

the need
to move on

John Destalo Jun 2020

ferns

I remember
a boy who

could not swim
in water

so he would
escape into

a lake of ferns
he would crawl

silently and
imagine

becoming part
of the earth

he would lie
still for hours

no one could

see him in
the green

waves created
by the wind

they would
walk right

by him as if
he was just

another fern

John Destalo Jun 2020

sweet bitter

after I
open them

I give them
space

because like
fine wine

I want
my words

to breathe
before you

drink them
I want you

to taste
their fullness

their delicacy
their sweet

bitter notes
that will

stay with you
and become

part of you

John Destalo Jun 2020

life is short

time & space
are teachers

if we let them be

we need to see
each other

existing

in time & space
and know

we are constrained
we are flawed

we need to learn
to be better and

we really do
need to forgive

each other