by W. Luther Jett
• I wrote three poems: The first compared you to a destructive gale; the second was a lament; the third was a curse.
• I met a friend for lunch. We spoke of you. Our words were not kind.
• I watched a bluebird fall in love. His love was hopeless, still it gave me hope.
• I called a friend in recovery from surgery. This was not the same friend I met for lunch, and we did not speak of you at all.
• I led a poetry workshop and hosted an open mike. I know that poetry alone cannot defeat you, but poetry is one way to say you will not defeat us. Our poems will out live your demands. You cannot fire us. We are the fire.
W. Luther Jett is a native of Montgomery County, Maryland and a retired special educator. His poetry has been published in numerous journals as well as several anthologies. He is the author of six poetry chapbooks: “Not Quite: Poems Written in Search of My Father”, (Finishing Line Press, 2015), and “Our Situation”, (Prolific Press, 2018), “Everyone Disappears” (Finishing Line Press, 2020), “Little Wars” (Kelsay Books, 2021), “Watchman, What of the Night?” (CW Books, 2022), and “The Colour War”, which has just been released by Kelsay Books. His full-length collection, “Flying to America” was published by Broadstone Press in 2024.
