Don’t you just occasionally feel

you’ll never get a job; the pain is real,

never be successful in that way,

never achieve the needed pay by pay

Don’t you just occasionally feel

you’ll never succeed in the way they need,

never applauded, the one they heed,

in leadership, in trust, not the real deal

......

I feel ill, sick to be me sometimes

continuing behind, hopeless but kind,

real but a failure, true but inept,

lonely, only in my own mind kept.

© Jasper A. Flintsmith 2021

#life #poetry #doubt

A comment, just one line

to reveal a hush-hush held for some time,

in support of a previous regime

condemnation of our new leader’s first weeks,

she was always one of them, not what she seemed.

Well, burning bridges is not the finest way

although let me just say,

I have a desire to knock down every

pedestal that held that man in esteem,

every frail column that bolstered his steam.

She was supporting right under my nose

a despot who would strip me of my rights

my dignity, my life,

and I don’t want to say, but maybe it’s just,

a comment can make a friend former these days.

© Jasper A. Flintsmith 2021

#politics #poetry #friendship #fucktrump

Another pour

another night,

perhaps I should

perhaps I could,

plunge into depths unknown

obscure my vision, drown,

but I will not.

For I am a

miserable

son of a saint

and cannot bring myself

to completely undue

the good she made,

hope buried deep.

Somewhere inside

she shines in me.

© Jasper A. Flintsmith 2021

#poetry #newpoetry #addiction #depression #parents #love #hope

Another day home, undisturbed and still,

a tug-o-war of idleness and will,

to seize and create, or simply waste time,

to achieve or fall short, to sink or climb,

but what is to seize when every next day

is sheltered-in-place, and duty’s to stay

home more time still, akin to a squatter

sitting stagnant in tepid bath water.

Quarantine for wellbeing shall prevail,

as many lives endure buoyant yet stale.

© J.A. Flintsmith 2020

#challenge #poetry #newpoetry #amwriting #COVID #pleasestayhome #pleasewearamask

insecurities

in sadness creeps

she’s always

connecting

with people

besides me

silence

and the tip tap

of the keyboard

© J.A. Smith 2020

#writing #poetry #relationships #love #conflict #nonfiction

What will stick?

What will stay?

One day, when we return

In our thoughts to this turn -

ing point,

What will we remember?

How it was?

How we felt?

How we grew?

How earth shifted,

Altered terrain

Fresh faults

Forever

Overlooking

Isolating

Recalling

Thoughts in our minds,

As we move on

Reflections will show

© J.A. Smith 2020

#poetry #newpoetry #pandemic #covid-19 #hope #nonfiction #crisis

“nothing personal”

but the MAGA supporter

voted off the black man

“nothing personal”

no surprise,

let’s just hope

someday this country

can be anything other than

divided

(in the end the other three voted off the Trump supporter)

© J.A. Smith 2020

#blacklivesmatter #blm #newpoetry #progress #fucktrump #trump2020 #bluelivesmatter #wakethefuckup

quiet drips from my eyes,

deep breaths to concentrate

on a reality

I can’t experience

but my heart breaks

and I collapse into thought

silence flows down my face,

heart beats pound out rhythms

pain, turmoil in the streets,

in my mind fractures creep, deep

under the pressure of all

unknown and painfully known

all present in our lives

but not daily for it

is a reality

I can’t experience

but my heart breaks

and I fall into feeling

#blacklivesmatter #blm #silenceisvilence #georgefloyd #silenceisviolence #blackouttuesday #enoughisenough

and I’m not brilliant

and I’m not wise

but silence = violence

so here I pray with words

© J.A. Smith 2020

What if they all die

All go

All leave me

What if they all die

And I’m here bleeding

© J.A. Smith 2020

#COVID-19 #pandemic #stayathome #quarantine #poetry #newpoetry #staysafe #blood #pain #movingon