While we waited
Hearing daybreak begin in
alphabet chaos.
Forgetting ocean trenches are
longer than mountains.
Our cores hard like moons
listening to rhythm of
dead waters.
The electric generation
watching clocks
push forward on soiled walls.
Worms breeding
from each other. Slimy bellies
dressed in sweat
and polyester.
Weary with longing to pop
out of our skins.
Our anger burns through eyes of eagles.
This configuration of rage.
Aquila.
Fire flying
We realize not a thing is
w i d e r
than the sky.
Questions
His long fingers
search coded panels
buttons cool smooth
attached to glowing screens.
Isn’t he powerful?
The general
general motors
general electric
and the major, major holocaust?
So admirable
the admiral
can sweep our planet away
in less than half an hour.
Another fact to live with
we can all blow up
in flames.
At any instant
galleries of murdered faces.
All of us born with this
strange dilemma.
Why do anything
when everything is wrong?
Our hearts caged in fear.
The eyes of the dead
are glassy and surprised
staring with open mouths.
Yes and always there is pain
of what could possibly remain.
Perhaps some slabs of concrete?
Is that all we have been building, buildings?
That evening
After the operation,
you delirious
my heart torn apart
wearing robes of despair
o so heavy my desolation.
Walking through town
I passed train stations
where homeless
children sleep
…wild flowers plucked
from gardens of grief.
You were conjured up in
my mind as trees draw
your face over tops of
trees blossoms of trees
your fabulous face.
I must somehow
continue to live
in this mutilated world.
What is lost
cannot be found.
I planted my garden
on the wrong side
of moon forgetting
tides of ocean
lunar wax wane
only madness
was cultivated
there underground
tubular roots
corpulent veins
flowers called
despair gave off
a single fruit…
I ate it
my laughter
becoming harsh
my eyes grew
oblique.
Joan McNerney’s poetry has been included in numerous literary magazines such as Seven Circle Press, Dinner with the Muse, Blueline, Midnight Dreamers of Yellow Haze, Poppy Road Review, Bright Hills Press Anthologies and many Kind of A Hurricane Publications. She has been nominated three times for Best of the Net. Four of her books have been published by fine literary presses and she has four e-book titles.
Bindweed Magazine 