Luke Emmett

Negating a waiting
– full of dirt and shit

In the dirt of a farm
two children run not
on plasma yard, they run
after their small dog.

Crossword of produce to
pay, children run, their
parents queuing with
stillness not last night.

I switch absently on-
to our car upholstery,
(a reason to wait). We
exist not if running,

they forget the queue,
but embracing. My
mother shops for food.
I comport to escape.

A day in the sun

In the sternum
beats hard muscle

(no fist) to sinusoids,
not for nor at the

world, but alogia:
justice made me.

Waiting still?
– after Leino

Any fool can get into an ocean;
who walks on the shore rejoicing?

There was a seaside sparrow,
too gentle to sing, its feet black,
sensing something: it escaped.

We glare at bathers, they talk but
I was happy to yeah love
them alone.

Run-way

At one to two, I
made no scenes;

marry or not, the
waters I sung.

Two and one
had met for lunch

among passerines,
Brighton’s pier,

for landing,
almost clear.

Luke Emmett's work has appeared in Litter, Stride, The Fortnightly Review, and ink sweat & tears. He blogs at https://grotesquecatalysts.com/