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Saturday, September 25, 2021

CONFLUENCES IN SEPTEMBER, 18 MONTHS OF LOSS

by Mark Danowsky


Fighting a Losing Battle 8, a print by Alexis Lekat at Saatchi Art


It was so nice to read Butler revisiting Butler—
their change to they for our times

* 

We let some people off so easy
& others we will forever push to the limit

* 

Waiting on the next check
for survival

* 

We are losing our birds
& much more than I know how to notice

* 

I want to save our homeless
more than I want to save children abroad 

* 

The people I know are not pleased
with my ethical quandaries

* 

My city’s beverage tax is abysmal
when we’re debating if 200K or 400K means rich

* 

A credit card notification informs me 
my address falls in a natural disaster location

* 

All signs point to no one coming for aid  

* 

I know it’s tempting to pretend
the worst might be over in 6 to 8 months

* 

Try 10 years of losing
only to lose the nexus of all your efforts

* 

Let the record show I tried


Mark Danowsky is Editor-in-Chief of ONE ART: a journal of poetry, Senior Editor for Schuylkill Valley Journal, Poetry Craft Essays Editor for Cleaver Magazine, and a Regular Contributor for Versification. He is author of the poetry collection As Falls Trees (NightBallet Press) and JAWN forthcoming from Moonstone Press.