All Afternoon Long

past wordless fields

of music

& ruined barns

a tattered necktie

& a drawing of young trees

he knew every crazy road

from his favorite chair.

My Father’s God

blotted out the sun

the wind was perfect

the autumn world

marveled at me

in my one good suit.

A Desperate Neighborhood

at heart

america

is long mornings

with obvious motives

alone & delicate

silent hillsides of red poppies

poor sons & dreadful movies.

John Dorsey is the former Poet Laureate of Belle, MO. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Which Way to the River: Selected Poems: 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Sundown at the Redneck Carnival, (Spartan Press, 2022, Pocatello Wildflower, (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2023) and Dead Photographs, (Stubborn Mule Press, 2024). He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.