Michael Lee Johnson
Michael Lee Johnson lived ten years in Canada, Vietnam era. Today he is a poet in the greater Chicagoland area, IL. He has 244 YouTube poetry videos. Michael Lee Johnson is an internationally published poet in 43 countries, several published poetry books, nominated for 4 Pushcart Prize awards and 5 Best of the Net nominations. He is editor-in-chief of 3 poetry anthologies, all available on Amazon, and has several poetry books and chapbooks. He has over 536 published poems. Michael is the administrator of 6 Facebook Poetry groups. Member Illinois State Poetry Society: http://www.illinoispoets.org/.
The following work is Copyright © 2022, and owned by Michael Lee Johnson and may not be distributed or reprinted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.
Poets Die (V2)
Why do poets die;
linger in youth
addicted to death.
They create culture
but so crippled.
They seldom harm
except themselves—
why not let them live?
Their only crime is words
they shout them out in anger
cry out loud, vulgar in private
places like Indiana cornfields.
In fall, poets stretch arms out
their spines the centerpiece
on crosses on scarecrows,
they only frighten themselves.
They travel in their minds,
or watch from condo windows,
the mirage, these changing colors,
those leaves; they harm no one.
Linda Mancia
Linda Mancia is a retired educator from Westchester County, New York. She spends her time exploring the art of self-expression by reading novel after novel, dabbling in ink pen drawing of botanicals, and writing mindfully of moments of impression in her present and past lives.
The following work is Copyright © 2022, and owned by Linda Mancia and may not be distributed or reprinted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.
Locked
Seated at the kitchen table
my child chest
caved in
the small of my back
held so tight
his rage spattering
the smudge on my paper,
the decimal point I misplaced.
