Poetry from J.J. Campbell

the cure for suffering

i look in your eyes
and see jazz
three different beats
going on at the same
time
and i worry i’m just
trash trying to get
in the cool club
for a change
but
the heart is starting
to feel things it hasn’t
felt since the late
twenties
hopefully these years
have been the cure
for suffering
yet i’ll never fully
allow myself to ever
think you’d ever fall
in love with someone
like me
why would you
young, beautiful
the word still
waiting to bend
a knee
i could
but you might have
to help me back up

——————————————————————————-
when i was still allowed to dream

smooth black skin
and dark piercing
eyes
like some goddess
sent to tease me
about what could
have been
and i think about
all i wanted to do
when i was still
allowed to dream
all the cities i’ve
never seen
all the women
i’ve never had
the courage to
fail with
i always figured
this wall would
never be built
well enough
to last all these
years
i’ll be damned
those drunks were
good with a tool
in their hands
——————————————————————————-
easily replaced

if falling in love
with a younger
woman teaches
you anything
it should be that
you are easily
replaced
and it’s those
moments why
you realize why
you have so
many bottles
sitting over
there
just wanting
to help bring
you a little
understanding
———————————————————————————
a few moments of solitude

there’s a duck
sitting in this
little pond off
to the side of
the road
just one duck
water not even
moving
i understand
my friend
sometimes,
a few moments
of solitude
are way more
important than
anything in this
world
————————————————————————
the feeble wish

whispers
in the dark
hushed kisses
and the feeble
wish for another
night together
these used to
be only dreams
it’s amazing
when reality
takes a turn
toward the
sun