John Destalo

John Destalo Jun 2020

spit

you spit
half-wit

the earth
doesn’t

need you
to wet it

it has its
ways to

clean
itself

we don’t
need your

mess

so swallow
yourself

your germs
are not

welcome here

I've always had an issue with people spitting all over the place

John Destalo Jun 2020

the sound of slippers

you tip-toe
through this

world

living on
an arched

soul

bent not
broken

you want
the world

to hear you
but you are

scared your
speech will

quake the
earth

and nothing
will ever

be the same

John Destalo Jun 2020

a super (role) model

she has her
way with words

she is honest

she must be
connected

to herself
feeling through

the layers we
build around

ourselves
to the core

of what it
means to be

her

it takes time
to choose

what

it takes time
to understand

why

it takes time
to learn

how

she has devoted
her time

wisely

John Destalo Jun 2020

held

past tense

muscle has
memory

it remembers
you

all over

the heat from
the moments

that meant
more

the anticipation
of forever

and I wonder

does rain
feel pain

when it ends

John Destalo Jun 2020

read

smoke and
flames

opening
pockets
in the
earth

that never
end

anything to
distract you

from
seeing
me

from
reaching
inside me

pulling
out
my
soul

reading
my
diary

John Destalo Jun 2020

the end of numbers

I was nevermore
living in less than

I could not feel
in the dark

the walls were
made of smoke

you did not
build me up

the way others
did for their

sons

I never had
that secret image

of myself

that made me
believe I could

be better than
the cards I

was dealt the
sad secret is

I never learned
to count

John Destalo Jun 2020

everything drifts

there is no
perfection

there is
trying and

learning
changing

to adapt
to truth

the reality
we all face

if we are
honest

with
ourselves