Poetry, Anthony Procopio Ross
“If you are not a myth, whose reality are you?”
—Sun Ra
Impregnating the sky above
the soccer field with reefer
smoke, birthing the red & blue
vehicle heading our way. Tossed
shimmer of bowl & plastic baggy.
Our thumping hearts learning prayer.
*
Bullying the coals red with breath.
Many appendaged invertebrate: immobile,
hookah-destined, at the lean-back-lounge.
A stranger gives us those eyes,
scrolling through photos of two flags—
one for each of her cheeks. A branded patriot.
*
Down a big goddamn hill, flat
on our stomachs. Lean right to go
in the direction of longing. Left
if you’re a coward. Dip the toe
against concrete to slow. But
you’re not scared, are you?
*
A scraggly I-HOP parking lot
in the middle of June sat muffler
quiet with our eyes as open as
the wheel, our white-knuckled grip.
We bought an eighth and plucked
the stems out with his dad’s pocket knife.
*
All thunder. All Modest Mouse.
We sit parked on an off-ramp
before cattle. Cherry tobacco smoke
rolling from the corn-cob pipe he
passes me, says the girl he hooked up
with last night cried in his arms.
*
There was a secret place out
beside the university’s research pond.
She called it the fairy garden
and couldn’t put the rest to words.
I’d go back by myself picking up
discarded sploofs and condom wrappers.
*
Buying an eighth of Lonerism on the way
to class. Licking Lonerism shut so
I can pass Lonerism to my friend spinning
a yarn about Lonerism receiving messages
from God. He listens to TOOL. Lonerism
weighing lids. Lonerism skunking bucket hat.
Anthony Procopio Ross is a poet born in Kansas City, MO where he teaches writing to college students. He has proposed and conducted multiple grant projects to create and uplift art in the communities he serves. Most recently, he ran Literary Lens: a zine-making endeavor supported by ArtsKC, showcasing Kansas City's local poetry scenes through creating and curating shareable art objects. He thinks zines are just the coolest and that you should make one. His work has been published in the Laurel Review, McNeese Review, and Inflectionist Review, among others. He serves as a co-editor for Bear Review.
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