Gene Hult

p o e t r y

Because

it’s over again here

we go anew anew angels fold

up spread blanket delicate paths forge

sunburn pillar of fire orientation

akin to weed sprouts know upside

down look who hasn’t known this

which generation lay in the dark praying

an eternal a salvation didn’t question

suggest righteous answer in rosebuds

and cigarette butts hand on soft cheek

laughing in corners like automobiles

well-tuned on sides of gravel road paved

over cyclical and breakthrough revolve

this never

again streak of sunset from a precise

irretrievable star pattern and scattering

molecules of love recombine and try

to get it better this time unless last time

chapter ends in a glory of wishing and

of oracle fallen haphazard and dusty ache

of growth wings interior smile twelve steps

to saving in a moment thousandth eyeblink

and never to be sure

on tiny airless island presumptuous

to like music and painful to shirk birth

duty of fingers and toes and eyes which

shift dark against sun to be true

endearing it’s not all against trivia

and world risen above suffocating

amidst abstracts no bread and water

and soiled minty kisses and odor of books

on a shelf rage rage focus through

pinpricks a period at end a comma

continues on no endings extras only falling

away to rain in steaming lake on jumping

fish and sloping mud of banks apology

not accepted drop potato if there is nothing

nothing can destroy nothing at risk nothing

here and now not thing to bring home to

mother and expect praise it’s nothing don’t

mention it not here not now yesterday

tomorrow get them confused get confused

zero is only zero we know it takes two

to tangle and branching trinity reaching

out over water it is enough for plenty next

false circuit as it rears raze ground but that

but that I loved that I need that how could

be seared fallow to its because

no more twist circle and stand back

right here we’re in for long haul

bumpy ride and there there’s the next

and covered by black veil it only

could be probably green

Gene Hult was the Managing Editor of the Denver Quarterly, and worked in children’s publishing for nearly 30 years. He has written more than 120 books published for children and young adults, mostly under his pseudonym J. E. Bright. His first book of poetry, Render, was released in July 2018 from Brighten Press. Please visit genehult.com for more information, or follow Gene on Twitter and Instagram @citysqwirl.