James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
the cold doesn’t respect
you. the tattoo hides
behind your jacket. the wind
goes digging sharktoothed
nibbling skin. everything
hidden surfaces. revealed
true-love shark tattoos swim
deep away from weekend
fisherman cold and insolent
on seas they claim they own.
—
This is for the “True love shop” prompt at This Is Not a Literary Journal.
Regulations demand
our silence. We must bear
the barbed weight of law.
Statutes and tradition
compel us to remain
quiet, blind, mute. We
become security cameras
with corrupted hard-drives
and though rules must
be followed, the hackers
are getting in. Let there
be light, more light, noise
and outrage, memory for all.
///
This is for the prompt at This Is Not a Literary Journal, Carolee Bennett’s new poetry effort. I’m helping out as an occasional “Provider of Prompts,” and I did provide this one called The Rules. And, lemme tell ya, it’s hard to write to your own prompt. Come check it out and join the fun.
When the fog began to clear off, I noticed that the reflection of a tree in the smooth water of an overflowed bank, six hundred yards away, was stronger and blacker than the ghostly tree itself.
faint spectral trees
dimly glimpsed
through the shredding fog
///
found haibun from Life on the Mississippi (1883) by Mark Twain, Chapter 51: “Reminiscences”
I’m very happy to announce that my micro-chapbook Six October Stones is published by Origami Poems Project.
Like all of Origami Poems Project’s micro-chapbooks, this collection of six short poems woven into a longer poem is a free PDF download that can be folded into a very small chapbook using the instructions found on the site. Check it out!
Next up, I’m thrilled to share that the Take2 Guide to LOST is now available for download. This is a massive compendium of online writing about the ABC TV Series LOST, and it includes all of my LOST book club blog posts (explained and indexed here) as well as my reflections on “The End.” Yes, I really did read and blog about all the books that appeared on the show, and it’s nice to see all that collected with so much other fine LOST writing. More info here.
Finally, I’m proud to have had a poem featured at Autumn Sky Poetry Daily: “Made or Just Happened.” Do check it out if you haven’t already.
And, yes, I’m still putting finishing touches on Highway Sky and The Corner of Ghost & Hope. Things move slow.
rain lilies dawn’s fading stars
Oh, hi there. Thanks for coming round this old blog. Here’s some links to a couple of my poems that appeared recently in other places:
a hundred miles out… in Issue 15.1 of tinywords back in April
Sonnet Found in a Road Atlas at Verbatim Found Poetry back in June
My poetry-ing has been behind the scenes of late, editing and publishing Gnarled Oak (which if you’ve not checked out you should) and putting the finishing touches on two books, a collection of road poems called Highway Sky (which includes both of the poems linked above) and a short collection of short stories titled The Corner of Ghost & Hope. Stay tuned for more about each one, but for now, here’re the covers…
Also, I’d love to have some reviews online (Amazon, Goodreads, blogs, wherever and etc.) so please contact me if you’d like to review either book. I can send a free advance .pdf or Kindle copy if you’re interested.
the remnants of wreaths
and bouquets
still
preserved after a century
and a half. A single leaf
of laurel, a rose bud
faded to rusty orange: slain
offerings,
as if springtime itself
had been offered
as a sacrifice.
///
found poem from Goodheart, Adam. “Lincoln.” National Geographic April (2015): 50. Print.
the road to summer
a field full of primroses
& a killdeer’s cries
spring wildflowers
the pennies I found
outside the jail
This is just me playing with the WordPress Galleries and Carousel features. Old pictures already in the media library. Click on one for the carousel effect.
