By Tohm Bakelas
Airplane poem
seeing civilization like ants
and buildings like cardboard boxes
makes me cherish
moments of disappointment
and letdowns
and heartbreak
and magic of real romance
and feelings of significance
because through it all
one way or another
a gravestone is involved
or depending on the stomach
a wake or a funeral
and lonely nights at bars
filled with exes
and failed attempts
of moonlit slow dances
brings more hopeful prospects
than the current situation
because even
a broken compass
leads to
worthwhile
explorations
sometimes
you just
have to wait
Burning cigarette in February cold
I always
liked the way
street lights
shined off
the rainy road
and the way
a lit cigarette
exploded
from a moving car
onto the still blacktop
shooting orange sparks
into
an ever-changing
world
I reminisce
these images
as I roll
a burning cigarette
between
my fingers
feeling
the fire
getting
closer
Tohm Bakelas is a social worker in a psychiatric hospital. He was born in New Jersey, resides there, and will die there. His poems have appeared in numerous journals, zines, and online publications.
Facebook: @Tohm Black
Instagram: @flexyourhead
