JOHN DORSEY: icarus Revisited

icarus revisited

juan stood chatting nervously
trading his dreams
for another lost love
& a glass of diet cola
with some poorly mixed spiced rum
as guests danced around
his problems like paper thin shadows
awaiting an
                             invisible sunset

christina & i handed him a card
wished him a happy birthday
and turned to leave
when he started taking out his hearing aids
& walked out onto the penthouse patio

learning to fly from eight stories up
in the philadelphia skyline

like a swan on fire
he almost made it
                                       look easy

an outsider in
                       his
                       own heart
blowing unrequited kisses
                      at the pavement

where ex-lovers looked like ants
swooning to a silent ballet
only he knew the words to

making beautiful music
composing his melody
                                                
                    in blood.

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John Dorsey is the author of several collections of poetry, including “Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw’s Prayer” (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), “Sodomy is a City in New Jersey” (American Mettle Books, 2010), “Tombstone Factory” (Epic Rites Press, 2013), “Natural Selection: Early Poems” (Kilmog Press, 2014) and most recently, "Imaginary Foxholes" (Rusty Truck Press, 2015). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He may be reached at [email protected]