Article 1

Robert Lee Brewer



the problem

brother says guns are dangerous
but mother blames the people
& father blames god
as sister falls in love with a soldier
who wishes he could stay a little longer
because he doesn’t read or write letters



a quick note for my translator

these words i leave you are black cats
criss crossing paths
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp  broken mirrors
ladders under which you must walk

i apologize for the salt
on the floor
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp  my lack of shoulders
wood i burned before you could knock



style

i don’t shift anymore
but i always return



off with their heads

she said the chickens
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp  would be fine
once they had a chance to die



i’m losing my head again

over you again
at night again
against my will again
because of a song again
& wanting to tell you again
but losing my nerve again
because i’ve failed again
& again
& again



Robert Lee Brewer is author of Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53) and editor of Poet’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books). He loves to read and write poetry. Find him on Twitter @RobertLeeBrewer.
 
 
previous page&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp contents&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp next page