July 16, 2017

What The Heart Wants

From The Novelist Portent by Johnny E. Mahaffey (author's profile)

Transcription

The Novelist Portent
Johnny E. Mahaffey
June 16, 2017

[picture of a man ripping open his dress shirt. Underneath is a magazine clipping of a woman looking at the distance.]

WHAT THE HEART WANTS

along the rows of cells, inside
them hides a man not special
a useless husk of the man once was
he waits at the door of Time
the portal dark, without color
but no offers are given for him to cross

I live as one of these many
as professor to the lacking (teaching
those the root of society, and how to avoid)
and in the days teach wonder
or expose them to things outside their scope
you can't just put the world in one book
not two or even ten
and out of the days comes one true factor

each to die like all the rest
and to live with a heart overflowed
yet empty but without regret
each day remembering and trying to find a hold

let go of the one, two (or ten)
to drain our life from that first crossing

unburied, still breathing, stamped
with a number lacking a date, to stand forever
drunk from Life's sweet kiss
like burning lips from within the chest
with teeth to pierce the ribs
and a need to consume in rows

Favorite

Replies Replies feed

We will print and mail your reply by . Guidelines

Other posts by this author

Subscribe

Get notifications when new letters or replies are posted!

Posts by Johnny E. Mahaffey: RSS email me
Comments on “What The Heart Wants”: RSS email me
Featured posts: RSS email me
All Between the Bars posts: RSS