by Mark Danowsky
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| 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
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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.